Jalab Moses, a 25-year-old Fargo resident known to friends as Jay or Cash, was remembered for the immeasurable joy and light he brought into the world. Born in Asosa, Ethiopia, on March 16, 1999, Jalab grew up in Fargo, where he attended Horace Mann Elementary, Ben Franklin Middle School, and Fargo North High School. In his youth, he loved skateboarding, and as he got older, he cherished spending time with family and friends, making music, and traveling.
In the early morning hours of
Saturday, September 21, 2024, Jalab’s life was cut short. Just after midnight, a verbal altercation in the parking lot of an apartment building in the 1300 block of 8th Avenue North escalated into violence. During the dispute, Jalab, a Black / African American male, was shot twice. Officers from the Fargo Police Department responded to a report of shots fired and found Jalab on the ground with a gunshot wound to his upper chest. They performed life-saving measures, but he died at the scene.
The man who shot him, 24-year-old Tyreik Taylor-Roberts, was at the scene when police arrived. Taylor-Roberts, who was acquainted with Jalab, admitted to the shooting and claimed it was self-defense, telling officers that Jalab was reaching for his gun. However, a witness reported seeing Taylor-Roberts shoot Jalab a second time after he had already fallen to the ground. Investigators found no weapon on Jalab. A handgun was recovered at the scene.
Taylor-Roberts was arrested and initially charged with murder. A search of his apartment also led to charges for possession of fentanyl and drug paraphernalia. The case proceeded through the court system for several months. In April 2025, Taylor-Roberts entered an Alford plea to a reduced charge of manslaughter. With this plea, he maintained his innocence but acknowledged that prosecutors had enough evidence to likely secure a conviction. In exchange for his plea, the charges of murder, aggravated assault, and the drug-related misdemeanors were dismissed.
On May 27, 2025, Tyreik Taylor-Roberts was sentenced for the killing of Jalab Moses. He received a sentence of five years in prison, which will be followed by five years of supervised probation. He was given credit for 249 days he had already served in custody. The case was officially closed with his sentencing in May 2025.
