Nashville Man on State Parole for First Degree Murder Charged with Possessing a Firearm as a Felon During Violent Shooting

NASHVILLE -James Lafayette Moore, age 51, of Nashville, has been indicted by a federal grand jury for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1), announced United States Attorney Braden H. Boucek for the Middle District of Tennessee.

"Our number one priority is protecting the community from violent offenders who, despite prior convictions for crimes as serious as murders, are still out there committing acts of violence," said United States Attorney Braden H. Boucek. "Anyone convicted of a dangerous felony who possesses a gun will be prosecuted. And if you shoot someone, you deserve the maximum punishment allowed under law."

According to court documents, on August 24, 2025, Moore shot an unarmed man four times in the face, neck, and upper body at point blank range on the balcony of My Town Extended Stay on Antioch Pike in Nashville. The shooting was captured on video surveillance cameras. Following the shooting, innocent bystanders assisted law enforcement by pointing out Moore's direction of flight. He was found and apprehended nearby at a Twice Daily gas station on Harding Place. A K9 unit assisted officers in locating the pistol Moore had used in the shooting nearby in a shrub adjacent to the Twice Daily.

On June 2, 1993, Moore was convicted of first-degree murder in the Circuit Court of Rutherford County, Tennessee, and was sentenced to life in prison. On March 14, 2024, he was granted parole and released.

If convicted, Moore faces a maximum of 15 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine.

This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Carlin C. Hess is prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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