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

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 top priority is protecting our community from violent offenders who, despite records of serious violence, are back on the street committing more violence," said U.S. Attorney Braden Boucek. "If you have a prior conviction for a violent felony and you use a gun to commit another violent crime then we will bring the full might of federal law enforcement to bear in holding you accountable."

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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