Keith Anthony Leacock, aged 53, tragically lost his life on November 29, 2020, in West Palm Beach, Florida. His body was discovered under the Palm Beach Lakes overpass, west of Dixie Highway. The initial investigation revealed that Leacock had been shot, leading to his untimely death. The circumstances surrounding the incident were initially unclear, prompting a thorough investigation by the West Palm Beach Police Department.
The investigation uncovered that Leacock's death resulted from
an accidental shooting during a struggle between two other men. On the day of the incident, Michael Martino Moore, aged 38, and another unidentified man got into an altercation at a gas station. The confrontation escalated when Moore shoved the other man into an ice machine. The unidentified man, fearing for his safety, left the gas station and later encountered Moore again on a nearby bridge. During this second encounter, the man pulled out a gun and pointed it at Moore. In the ensuing struggle for control of the weapon, the gun discharged, and the bullet struck Leacock, who was nearby.
Following the shooting, Moore was arrested and charged with manslaughter. He was taken into custody at the Palm Beach County Jail, with bail set at $5,000. Moore denied having been in a fight and claimed he did not know the shooting victim. The investigation included witness testimonies and the discovery of a spent shell casing near the railroad bridge at Palm Beach Lakes and Spruce Avenue. Despite efforts to locate the weapon, it was not found.
The case highlighted the dangers of escalating confrontations and the tragic consequences that can arise from such incidents. The legal proceedings against Moore focused on the manslaughter charge, as the shooting was deemed accidental during the struggle. The investigation and subsequent arrest brought some closure to the case, although the loss of Keith Anthony Leacock remains a poignant reminder of the fragility of life and the impact of violence in the community.
