In the small town of Pocola, Oklahoma, a tragedy unfolded on the morning of September 21, 2021, ending the life of 66-year-old Ella Louise Earl Moore, a White female who worked at Mercy Hospital in Fort Smith, Arkansas. That morning, Ella had been visiting her son at his apartment. Shortly after she left to return to her own apartment next door, her son heard the terrifying sounds of loud pops and screams.
Rushing outside with a firearm, he discovered a horrifying scene.
His mother, Ella, was lying just inside her apartment, having been shot. He then saw his estranged father, 71-year-old Billy Moore, reaching for a weapon. In a desperate act to protect his mother and himself, the son shot Billy. Both Ella and Billy Moore were pronounced dead at the scene.
The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation's inquiry into the incident revealed a history of domestic troubles. Ella had sought and obtained a protective order against her estranged husband in May of 2021, indicating prior fears for her safety. In the end, authorities determined that the son's actions were in self-defense, and he was not arrested in connection with the deaths. The investigation's findings were to be forwarded to the LeFlore County District Attorney's Office for a final review.
