On the evening of March 24, 2023, Chanell Moore, a 26-year-old mother of four, was working her shift at Doug's Eastside Convenience store in Fort Smith, Arkansas. Her life was tragically cut short when a masked individual entered the store, engaged her in a brief conversation, and then fatally shot her multiple times at point-blank range during a robbery. The assailant then went behind the counter and fled with cigarettes and vape products.
The sudden and violent nature of her death left her family, including her four young children, devastated and a community in shock.
For six weeks, the case remained a source of fear and uncertainty for the Fort Smith community, with many worried the killer might never be found. Investigators from the Fort Smith Police Department worked tirelessly, analyzing evidence and following leads. A crucial breakthrough came from public tips. A citizen reported a suspicious black Mercedes SUV with its license plate recently removed. This tip, combined with information from a Facebook message about a similar robbery in the nearby town of Barling in December 2022, began to connect the dots for law enforcement.
The investigation into the Barling robbery had produced significant evidence. Surveillance video showed a young male suspect wearing clothing identical to the individual who killed Chanell Moore. Furthermore, a gun recovered by Barling police from that earlier incident was traced back to the owner of the Mercedes SUV. The suspect in the Barling robbery was identified as the son of the vehicle's owner, 15-year-old Kemuel Mark Andrew Stucki. On May 4, 2023, a SWAT team executed a warrant and arrested Stucki at his mother's home on Mayo Drive.
Charged as an adult, Kemuel Stucki faced charges of first-degree murder, aggravated robbery, and committing a terroristic act for firing at a citizen in the parking lot during the incident. The evidence against him was substantial, and he ultimately pleaded guilty. The court sentenced Stucki to 50 years in prison for his role in the murder and robbery. While the legal process brought a measure of justice, it could not undo the profound loss for Chanell Moore's family. Her father is now raising her four children, who must grow up without their mother.
