In the early morning hours of July 22, 2017, a life was tragically cut short in a Salem, Oregon, parking lot. Jose Francisco Moreno, a 25-year-old Hispanic male, was found bleeding and succumbed to his injuries at the scene. The incident, which unfolded in the 3100 block of Ryan Drive Southeast, prompted an extensive investigation by local law enforcement.
Moreno, who grew up in Mill City, was remembered by his sister as a "good kid" who "loved everybody."
Responding to a report of shots fired at 3:26 a.m., Salem police officers discovered Moreno in the parking lot of a Denny's restaurant. Also present at the scene was Gregory Weston Capwell, a 33-year-old private security guard employed by Homefront Security. After a week of thorough investigation, which included numerous interviews and a review of video surveillance footage, detectives arrested Capwell on a charge of murder.
The investigation led to Capwell's arrest on July 28, 2017. During his initial court appearance, he was denied bail. Ultimately, Gregory Capwell was convicted of murdering Jose Francisco Moreno and was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 25 years. Following the criminal proceedings, Moreno's family filed a $10 million lawsuit against both Capwell and his employer, Homefront Security Services. The lawsuit alleged that the security company was negligent in hiring and failing to properly train Capwell, citing a history of concerning behavior.
