In the early evening of March 15, 2014, Justin Tyler Roake, a 21-year-old male, was driving on Ellington Parkway in Nashville, Tennessee, when his life was tragically cut short. Unbeknownst to him, a dark-colored SUV was closing in, and from within it, shots were fired, striking Roake in the head and causing his vehicle to crash. The brazen act of violence on the busy parkway marked the beginning of a lengthy investigation to bring those responsible to justice.
The Metro Nashville Police
Department quickly launched a homicide investigation. In the months that followed, investigators worked to piece together the events that led to the fatal shooting. Their efforts eventually pointed to two individuals: Antonio Porter and Barry Eugene Moore. In August 2014, the investigation had progressed enough for a Davidson County Grand Jury to issue indictments against both men on charges of first-degree murder. Shortly after the indictments, on August 11, 2014, the Metro Nashville Police Department, in collaboration with the Violent Crimes Task Force, successfully located and apprehended Antonio Porter, who was 21 years old at the time of his arrest.
While one suspect was in custody, the search for Barry Moore continued. He managed to evade capture for over a year, and in April 2015, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation added him to their Top Ten Most Wanted fugitive list. The statewide alert and the relentless efforts of law enforcement finally paid off on September 24, 2015, when Moore, then 28, was found hiding in a garage on Augusta Way in Nashville and taken into custody without incident. Investigators identified Moore as the driver of the SUV from which the fatal shots were fired.
With both suspects apprehended, the legal process could move forward. On July 17, 2015, Antonio L. Porter pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of voluntary manslaughter. He received a 15-year prison sentence for his role in the death of Justin Roake. Following his capture, Barry Moore also faced the judicial system. After a trial in which he was convicted of first-degree murder, Moore was sentenced to life in prison, ensuring that both individuals involved in the senseless killing of Justin Roake were held accountable for their actions.
