In the spring of 2011, the city of Atlanta was stirred by the untimely death of Derek Moses, a 56-year-old man known for his dual roles as a dedicated associate pastor and a trusted accountant. A co-worker discovered his body on the morning of Monday, March 28, 2011, inside his accounting office on Cascade Road. He had been shot multiple times.
Derek Moses was a respected figure in his community, serving at the Providence Missionary Baptist Church.
His sudden and violent death sent ripples of shock and grief through his congregation and all who knew him. In the initial stages of the investigation, police noted that there were no signs of a forced entry into his office, and robbery did not appear to be the primary motive as valuables were left behind. This led investigators to believe that Moses may have known his killer.
A key piece of evidence in the early days of the investigation was Moses's blue BMW, which was missing from the scene of the crime. The vehicle was located a short time later on Montreat Avenue, not far from his office. The recovery of the car provided a significant lead for detectives. Investigators believed that the theft of the car was the primary motive for the killing.
In the course of their investigation, the Atlanta Police Department identified a person of interest. They released surveillance photographs of a man seen at a convenience store on Sylvan Road, hoping the public could help identify him. While police were able to identify the individual in the photos, there have been no public announcements of an arrest in connection with the murder.
Weeks into the investigation, a new development emerged when the mother of a joyrider came forward with information. This new information helped police to narrow down the timeline of when Moses's car was abandoned. It was determined that the car was likely taken from the crime scene and left on Landrum Drive, where it was then picked up by the joyriders. Despite these leads and the identification of a person of interest, the case has grown cold over the years. There have been no subsequent reports of arrests, charges, trials, or convictions in the murder of Derek Moses, leaving his family and community still seeking answers and justice for his death.
