The homicide investigation concerning 34-year-old James McClendon Jr. commenced after he was reported missing on December 9, 2025, in Tampa, Florida. Police officers initially located his abandoned rental vehicle on the 3500 block of East 27th Avenue, where they discovered a spent 9mm shell casing inside. Two days later, on December 11, authorities found the man's body in a vacant lot on the 2700 block of 18th Avenue East near North 28th Street in the Ybor City area.
A Medical Examiner subsequently confirmed that the cause of death was a gunshot wound to the upper body.
Detectives retraced the victim's steps using surveillance video from the night of his disappearance. The footage revealed that he had driven to a gas station on North 50th Street, where he picked up a passenger dressed in distinctive clothing and bright blue shoes. Investigators identified the individual in the video and executed a search warrant at his residence. During the search, police recovered a 9mm shell casing that matched the ballistic evidence found in the victim's car, establishing a forensic link between the suspect and the shooting.
On December 23, 2025, law enforcement officers arrested 17-year-old Keshon Moore near Rowlett Park. He was taken into custody without incident and booked into the Juvenile Assessment Center on a charge of murder. The arrest concluded the weeks-long investigation that began with the missing person report and relied heavily on the connection established through the recovered shell casings and video surveillance. Police officials stated that the arrest would hopefully allow the victim's family to begin the healing process.
