HOLT, Fla., June 6, 2022—A Baker resident was arrested for the murder of a Pensacola business owner early this morning.

Okaloosa County Sheriff deputies arrested Brian Keith Easterling on an arrest warrant from Escambia County for first degree premeditated homicide.

Escambia County Sheriff’s Office deputies were called to the Texaco station Sunday at 3939-B Creighton Road in Pensacola after a 63-year-old shop owner was found shot to death inside his business, according to an ESCO news release.

Surveillance video from the shop showed Easterling entered the business and shot the business owner over a dispute about prior business deals and money owed to Easterling by the victim, according the release.

With the help of the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, Easterling was located at his home in Baker late Sunday evening without incident.

Easterling is chief of the Baker Fire District.

While Holt Fire District was tied up with multiple traffic accidents on Interstate 10 yesterday afternoon, Easterling responded to a 911 call to a possible house fire on Blackberry Circle. Lightning struck a house, but there was no fire.

Easterling was booked into the Okaloosa County Jail at 3 a.m. today and is awaiting extradition to Escambia County.