In the early morning hours of September 22, 2017, the city of Hutchinson, Kansas, was the scene of a tragic event that would cut a man's life short. Clarence D. Allen, a 42-year-old Black / African American male, was found deceased inside a residence at 1701 E. 30th Ave. An acquaintance discovered Allen's body around 6:30 a.m. and immediately contacted emergency services.
When officers from the Hutchinson Police Department arrived, they found that Allen had sustained multiple gunshot wounds.
The investigation into Allen's death quickly pointed to a suspect, 34-year-old Quinton Moore, who was known to be a friend of the victim. Moore was located and taken into custody on the same day as the discovery of Allen's body. He was subsequently arrested and booked into the Reno County Jail on suspicion of first-degree murder, with his bond set at $500,000. Investigators learned that Moore had gone to the house on East 30th Avenue early that morning, shot Allen multiple times with a handgun, and then fled the scene.
During Moore's trial, witnesses provided testimony that painted a picture of the events leading up to the shooting. One key witness testified that Moore had been intoxicated and armed with a handgun on the night of the incident. Another witness, who was with the first, recounted hearing several gunshots before seeing Moore leave the residence where Allen was later found. This witness also testified that Moore had admitted to the shooting, stating he had "emptied his whole clip" into Allen. Despite challenges to witness credibility due to substance use, Quinton Moore was ultimately convicted of first-degree murder for the death of his friend, Clarence Allen.
