On the evening of January 22, 2024, Leslie Crossley, a 35-year-old White / Caucasian woman, was a passenger in a friend's car, traveling through Lakewood, Washington. As they drove along Chicago Avenue Southwest, their journey was violently interrupted by the sound of gunfire. A bullet struck Leslie in the head, and in the terrifying moments that followed, her friend, who was driving, sped away from the scene.
The driver, who was grazed by a bullet, pulled into the parking lot of a Holiday Inn Express on Pacific Highway Southwest and frantically called for help. First responders arrived to find Leslie in the passenger seat with a grave gunshot wound. Despite their life-saving efforts, she succumbed to her injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene.
The investigation into Leslie's death quickly pointed to a planned and targeted attack. Detectives discovered that the shooting was not a random act of violence. Nearly a month later, on February 20, 2024, the Lakewood Special Response Team arrested 39-year-old Larie Edward Moorer in connection with the homicide. It was revealed that Moorer and Leslie had been in a romantic relationship. The motive for the shooting allegedly stemmed from accusations that Leslie had stolen narcotics from Moorer, leading to a tragic and fatal act of retaliation.
Larie Moorer was charged with first-degree murder, two counts of first-degree assault, and unlawful possession of a firearm. He entered a plea of not guilty to the charges brought against him. The investigation further revealed that Moorer was out on bail for separate charges at the time of the shooting. As the legal proceedings began, those who knew Leslie were left to mourn the loss of a woman remembered by her family as a funny and good mother to her 15-year-old son.
