On June 22, 2023, Timothy A. Norris, aged 63, was found dead in a camper located on Culbertson Road in Zanesville, Ohio. The Muskingum County Sheriff's Department received reports of gunshots in the area shortly after midnight. Upon arrival, deputies discovered Norris with a gunshot wound to the head, slumped over a table inside the camper. Evidence indicated that the shot had been fired from outside the camper, with bullet casings recovered nearby suggesting the use of a .9mm firearm.
The investigation into Norris's death revealed significant connections to a prior case involving Jordan Rivera, whose body had been discovered on the same property nearly a year earlier. Norris had been convicted in March 2023 for failing to report Rivera's death and had received a 30-day jail sentence as a result. This conviction led to tensions with Rivera's family, particularly regarding Norris's perceived involvement in the circumstances surrounding Rivera's death.
Cody Moody, a 34-year-old man with ties to Rivera's family, emerged as the primary suspect in Norris's murder. Following an interrogation on July 10, 2023, Moody confessed to shooting Norris. He admitted that his actions were motivated by a desire for revenge related to Rivera's death. Moody explained that he initially attempted to kill Norris earlier that night but did not succeed. After returning to the scene around 2:00 AM, he shot Norris through the camper window before fleeing and disposing of the weapon in a nearby creek.
Moody was subsequently indicted for aggravated murder with a firearm specification. He pleaded guilty to the charges and was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole on September 20, 2023. This sentence reflects the severity of his crime and the underlying motivations tied to past grievances involving Norris and Rivera.
