Who murdered Arthur Moore in 1991?
In the early morning hours of June 20, 1991, the sound of gunshots pierced the quiet of a Northeast Portland neighborhood. At approximately 12:40 a.m., an individual walking near NE 6th Avenue and Roselawn Street was startled by the sudden violence. Minutes later, the body of Arthur Moore, a 37-year-old African-American male, was discovered on the sidewalk at the intersection of NE 6th and Emerson.
An autopsy would later confirm that Moore had died from a gunshot wound. Investigators learned that he was a known drug user and may have been involved in selling drugs to support his habit, a detail that provided a potential, albeit broad, motive for his killing. The investigation into his death uncovered a scant but crucial clue from a witness who reported seeing a white man driving an older model, white 4-door Volvo heading eastbound shortly after the shots were heard.
Despite this lead, no arrests were ever made in the case, and a suspect was never formally identified. The trail grew cold, and the death of Arthur Moore became another unsolved homicide in the city's records. The case remains open, with authorities still hopeful that someone might come forward with information that could finally bring clarity to the events of that summer night and provide answers for a case that has remained a mystery for decades.
