ATLANTA — A Fulton County jury found a man guilty of felony murder after he shot and killed a man and wounded another when they tried to repossess his car.
Channel 2 Action News reporter Jeff Dore was in the courtroom when the verdict came down. In addition to felony murder, Dore said the jury found Justin Moore guilty of aggravated assault, attempting to elude police and possession of a firearm in the commission of a felony.
After deliberating one hour Friday, the jury returned Monday with questions for the court.
In November 2009, Willie Thackston and his assistant, Brandon Thomas, went to Justin Moore's home in South Fulton County to repossess his gray Ford Mustang. Moore was three months behind making payments.
Thackston testified that Thomas went to the door and asked Moore for the key. Moore testified that the repo men never identified themselves and he thought they were stealing his car. Both agree Moore fired his sawed off shotgun into the air and shot at the tow truck three times as it left with his car. They agree Moore chased it in a van, pointing his shotgun out the window at the wrecker and the vehicles collided side to side.
Thackston said they stopped and Moore fired into the wrecker, wounding him with buckshot and killing Thomas. Moore said the collision jammed the shotgun between mirrors and when he jerked it back, he accidentally pulled the trigger. The defense claims that makes it voluntary manslaughter, not murder.
Then at gunpoint, Moore forced Thackston to release his car and Moore sped away from police. Police found and arrested him four days later.
Jurors asked to re-hear the recording of Moore's call to 911 as Moore chased and shot them. Some of the victim's friends and relatives found it so emotionally wrenching that they left the courtroom in tears.
WSBTV
