Couple had been married for 20 years when wife filed for a divorce
A domestic dispute between a couple in their Vancleave, Mississippi, home ended in fatal gunshots, but a source close to the investigation told The Mississippi Press the shots were likely fired in self-defense. Police received a 911 call Wednesday afternoon and when officers arrived at the home they found the body of Richard Moore, 45, in a bedroom which was used as an office.
Moore’s wife, Michele, was taken into police custody for questioning, but later released. No charges have been filed at this time. Although the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department has remained mute on the details surrounding the case, the source confirmed with the newspaper that the scene of the shooting, as well as injuries Michele sustained, are “consistent with a struggle.”
The whole incident is still under investigation and will be turned over to the grand jury upon completion for charges to be reviewed. Police have been reluctant to give more information on the case as it is still being investigated.
County Captain Curtis Spiers was quick to turn down rumors surrounding the incident that point to the Ashley Madison leak as motive.
According to a friend of the wife, the couple’s relationship had been crumbling for a while and Michele was in the steps of filing for a divorce. The husband had moved out a while back and the friend also said Michele was terrified of her husband who drank excessively and was verbally abusive.
The couple had two daughters in college, and the husband, Richard Moore, was 45 years old and had been a firefighter in Biloxi for 25 years. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
This is a very tragic story, yet we know it was self-defense and if Michele had not shot her husband, she would probably be killed. Police can usually tell the gist of a situation like this and who had been the attacker upon entering the scene, domestic violence usually has strong indicators. Michele’s injuries revealed consistency with a struggle, meaning it will probably show up that she sustained defensive wounds, she probably had more bruises from blows and the husband will probably show up with bruises on his knuckles or elsewhere from attacking.
This is so unfortunate; maybe the husband snapped, or maybe the wife had been putting up with domestic abuse the whole marriage and didn’t want to be harmed again or killed. However, what we do know is that she would probably have been killed if she had not been armed. You never know what curve balls life will throw at you, always carry to protect and defend.
