Arrest Made in Attack On Elderly Man

TAMPA, FL — A 47-year-old Tampa man faces criminal charges after police say he beat an 81-year-old man and left him unconscious in his backyard Wednesday.

According to the Tampa Police Department, Alfred W. Watton was found unconscious in his 20th Street North backyard around 6:30 p.m. Aug. 17. Police believed the man, whose skull was fractured, had been attacked between 1:30 and 2:30 p.m.

As officers began to investigate the attack, they discovered some of Watton’s possessions missing. Among the missing items were his car keys and his 2014 red Kia Sedona.

A search for the last man to see Watton before the attack, Carlos Alberto Cordero, was kicked off Thursday afternoon. Police say they received a tip that ultimately led them to Cordero’s whereabouts around 2:30 a.m. Friday.

“At this early stage in the investigation, it appears that the defendant attacked the victim over a dispute about how much money the victim owed him for lawn care services,” an email from police said. “After the attack, the defendant took the victim's wallet and fled the scene. The victim's vehicle has not been located the defendant denies taking it.”

Cordero has been charged with aggravated battery on a person over 65 and robbery. He was being held in the Hillsborough County Jail in lieu of $22,500 bond late Friday morning.

The investigation remains active. Watton’s missing Kia has the Florida tag number Z4SWC on it, police say.

Booking photo courtesy of the Tampa Police Department