On an Easter Sunday evening in Cottonport, Louisiana, the life of 22-year-old Stephon Trevell Moore was cut short. On April 4, 2021, a gunfight erupted on Martin Luther King Drive, a street nicknamed 'the horseshoe' for its U-shape. Moore was with a group of individuals, including his half-brother Tyrek Randall, who were gathered outside their grandmother's home as the sun began to set.
The exchange of gunfire involved two groups.
Moore and Randall were part of a group that included Jarvis Moore and Ralin Watson. The other group consisted of Marquelle Prater, Roney Fox, and Jekolby Fields. The conflict reportedly began after a white SUV, with Fox in the backseat flashing money, passed by. This prompted Jarvis Moore to tell his group to 'hit the cut,' a nearby path, and shortly after, gunshots filled the air. Later that evening, Stephon Moore's body was discovered in a driveway between two houses on MLK Drive. An investigation determined that a bullet had pierced his skull. Authorities also found a pool of blood away from his body, leading them to believe he had been moved after being shot. A Chevrolet Equinox with approximately fourteen bullet holes was also examined as part of the investigation.
In the aftermath, Tyrek Randall became a key figure in the investigation. On June 1, 2021, he was charged with attempted second-degree murder and illegal use of a weapon. Later, Randall, along with Jarvis Moore, Prater, Fox, Fields, and Ralin Watson, were all charged with the negligent homicide of Stephon Moore. During legal proceedings, testimony revealed that Randall had allegedly admitted to shooting Stephon, claiming it was an accident.
A jury trial commenced in November 2023. On November 16, Tyrek Randall was found not guilty of negligent homicide in the death of his half-brother, Stephon Moore. However, he was found guilty of the lesser charge of attempted manslaughter and of illegal use of a weapon.
