Opinion ID: 1126715
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: the moore murder the next night

Text: At about 3 a.m. on June 29, Johnny Hall, an employee of Fat's Exxon, an outlet or convenience store owned by Calvin Moore located in the same neighborhood as the Circle K store where Sanchez was murdered, became another victim of Percy Davis. There Davis robbed and shot Johnny Hall. Ballistics showed that the cartridge from which the shot was fired came from Davis's pistol. During the penalty phase of the murder trial, Johnny Hall identified Davis as his robber and assailant. Near midnight on June 30 Davis returned to Fat's Exxon where he committed the armed robbery and murder of Calvin Moore some 20 hours after he had robbed and shot Johnny Hall in the same store. Moore and his wife were working that night because Hall was hospitalized. The video tape of the murder-robbery clearly shows those persons who were at the counter and cash register being served by Calvin Moore and his wife. Davis was accompanied by an acquaintance, Rodney Hill. When Davis and Hill appear on camera, Hill stands at the counter while Moore places small items in a paper sack. Davis walks past the counter toward the rear of the store and quickly returns to the counter while Moore's attention is directed to placing small items in the sack. Davis quickly bends or stoops below the counter and pulls his pistol from his sock. Arising from that position with pistol in hand, Davis, in one quick and continuous motion, without saying anything to Moore, shoots Moore in the chest at point blank range. Davis's acquaintance, Rodney Hill, departs from camera range about the time Davis draws his pistol and shoots Calvin Moore. Moore obviously does not notice or react to the pistol, but is thrown on his back by the gunshot and is twitching, breathing heavily and immediately on the floor in the throes of death. Immediately after shooting Moore, Davis shoots at Mrs. Moore who is 8-10 feet away to Davis's left and also behind the counter at which her husband stood. Fortunately, Davis missed Mrs. Moore. She immediately reacts, falling to the floor and quickly scoots under the counter. Davis thereafter opens and ransacks the cash register, removing all currency, some of which was in an envelope, and some coins, while observing his wounded victim on the floor in the throes of death. While removing the money from the cash register, Davis keeps the pistol pointed at Moore and threatens to shoot him again if he attempts to get up. Mrs. Moore testified that she heard Davis say to her husband, Are you trying to get up from there? I'll shoot you again, you m___ f___! Lip reading the videotape corroborates what Mrs. Moore said Davis said. After removing the money Davis departs toward the front door of the store and out of the range of the camera. Shortly after Davis departs, Mrs. Moore rises from under the cabinet and comes to the aid of her husband, telephoning for help. She is soon assisted by a customer who enters the store and by Thomas Adgate, who had been an earlier customer. Shortly before the murder-robbery of Calvin Moore, Adgate had purchased gas from Moore. As Adgate was leaving the outlet, he saw Davis and Hill walking from Davis's car which he noticed was parked in the wrong direction on a street behind the back lot of the outlet. He watched the two walk along the side of the building toward the entrance. These circumstances aroused Adgate's suspicion as he drove away from the outlet, causing him to reverse his direction, driving around the block and back to Fat's Exxon. Returning, Adgate first noticed there was no one behind the counter. He then saw Davis, holding something (perhaps the envelope) in his hand, appear along the side of the building running toward the wrongly parked car that had first aroused Adgate's suspicion. Adgate then entered the store where he saw the results of the murder-robbery, Mr. and Mrs. Moore in the circumstances above described. In response to the telephone calls, police arrived and learned that the video camera in the store was functioning before, during and after the robbery-murder. Police provided a copy of the videotape to news media, requesting help. Shreveport television stations played the tape on several occasions during the hours that followed. Davis and Hill, of course, were recognized by acquaintances who viewed the telecasts. Once Hill was told about the videotape he voluntarily went to the police, attempting to exculpate himself as much as possible, while identifying Davis as the perpetrator of the crimes. Davis's picture was placed in a photographic lineup which was separately presented to Adgate and Hill. Each identified Davis's photograph. Adgate also identified Davis in a live lineup after Davis was arrested and again at the trial. Police began to search for Percy Davis and his distinctive car after he was identified by Hill.