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80-year-old Clearwater man charged in connection with neighbor's murder in Maine

Posted at 8:30 AM, Jul 29, 2016
and last updated 2016-07-29 19:13:20-04

A Clearwater man has been arrested in connection with the murder of his neighbor while they were in Maine over the weekend. 

Robert Craig, 80, of Clearwater is currently being held at Pinellas County Jail. 

The body of 86-year-old Leo Corriveau, was found inside of his mobile home in Presque Isle in Maine on Saturday afternoon. An autopsy was done on Corriveau and it revealed that he had been strangled. 

Craig and Corriveau were neighbors in Clearwater. They lived across the street from each other in the Japanese Garden Mobile Home Park on U.S. 19 and were friends for three years, according to police. 

“So you can see the scariness and the danger in all of this, that’s why it’s so shocking that this person was so close in distance,” said neighbor Chris Luedke. 

The two traveled to Maine to spend a couple of weeks at Corriveau's Presque Isle home. 

“It seems weird that they both went together and then this guy comes back by himself,” said neighbor Frank Branigan. 

Clearwater investigators kept a close eye on Craig and his house this week before making the arrest.

Police say Craig was arrested in the parking lot of a business in Largo around 3 p.m. on Thursday. 

Craig appeared before a Pinellas County Court in Florida on Friday and made two requests before the judge.

“Your honor, I have not had the right to use a phone to contact my family since I’ve been here and I haven’t even had a toothbrush given to me since I’ve been here.” 

Craig is facing a murder charge when he returns to Maine next week. He is scheduled to be extradited on Tuesday.

According to an arrest warrant, Leo's family members met Craig during the vacation and told detectives that they suspected he may have played a role in Leo's death. 

Maine State police detectives have traveled to Clearwater and they have been working with Clearwater Police Department to gather more information.