Pinellas County detectives seek information on missing man

PALM HARBOR (FOX 13) - Homicide detectives are investigating the mysterious disappearance of a Pinellas County man under suspicious circumstances and are hoping anyone with information will come forward.

Raymond "Scott" Rupp, 48, was last seen alive June 15, 2012, but some of his personal checks have been used since then.

"It had to be something bad because he wouldn't have disappeared like that," Rae Rupp, his mother, said. "You don't steal someone's checks if you didn't have something to do with their death."
 
Detectives say he lived with a roommate, Robert "Bobby" Worden, 37, at the Harbor Club Downs Apartments on U.S. Alternate 19 in Palm Harbor.

After Rupp disappeared, Worden moved to Arkansas in the Van Buren/Ft. Smith area until August 2015 when Pinellas detectives tracked him down and had him arrested for check fraud.

"Warrants were issued and they had him extradited back to Pinellas County for those charges," Cpl. Spencer Gross said. "Detectives have interviewed him multiple times, and he's made some inconsistent statements.

Worden was extradited back to Florida recently for grand theft and forged checks that belonged to Rupp and was being held at the Pinellas County Jail.  Wednesday he was released after he pled out his charges. He is currently on probation.

The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office wants anyone who knows Worden to come forward. 

Detectives also want help in identifying an associate of Worden's who lived in Arkansas, who may also have information about the case.  He's described as a tall white male, missing some teeth, with an eagle tattoo on his shoulder.  The eagle's wings are made of the United States flag, according to the sheriff's office.

The two were together at "Ken's Stop-and-Shop" in Van Buren, Arkansas.

Anyone with information should call the Pinellas Sheriff's Office at: (727) 582-6153.