The homicide involving James Moffet, aged 57, occurred in Fort Worth, Texas, on August 2, 2007. The incident is linked to Curtis R. Moffett, who was convicted of several crimes, including murder, solicitation of capital murder, and illegal possession of a firearm. Moffett had a conflict over a large sum of money he believed had been stolen from his apartment, which escalated into violence.
The background to the crime involved Curtis R. Moffett accusing various individuals of stealing $35,000 from his apartment. After a series of confrontations, Moffett allegedly organized efforts to retrieve the money, leading to threats, intimidation, and the enlistment of an accomplice to exact revenge. This chain of events culminated in the death of Earl Gratts, who was shot outside his mother's house. Eyewitnesses described interactions between Moffett and several people before the shooting, which formed a significant part of the trial's testimony.
On June 22, 2007, a jury found Moffett guilty of murder and other charges, and he was sentenced to life imprisonment on July 6, 2007. During his trial, arguments focused on the sufficiency of evidence regarding firearm possession and witness reliability. Despite the defense's efforts to argue that witness testimonies were inconsistent or influenced, the jury's verdict ultimately held Moffett accountable for Gratts's death.
