Man found guilty of First Degree Murder in Whiteville shooting

COLUMBUS COUTNY, NC (WWAY) — A man on trial in Columbus County for a 2021 murder has been convicted and sentenced.

On Thursday, a jury found Leroy Moore Jr. guilty of First Degree Murder.

The trial lasted nearly three weeks, and included testimony from experts, law enforcement, medical personnel, and witnesses from the crime scene.

Moore was accused in the October 25, 2021 killing of Tony Baker. Baker was shot twice in the back in the Sandy Ridge Apartments in Whiteville. According to a report from the District Attorney’s Office, Moore pulled into the apartment complex around 9pm that night, armed with two assault rifles and extra magazines. Moore, along with his unidentified co-conspirator, fired more than 36 rounds of ammunition into the building.

Tony Baker later died of his injuries.

Moore was hit by return fire as he was fleeing the scene, and left his rental car, wallet, ID, firearm, and other evidence at the crime scene. He later checked into a hospital in Lumberton under a fictitious name…and left the hospital against medical advice.

Whiteville Police and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation conducted a joint investigation into the shooting, which led to Moore’s arrest on Nov. 23

In addition to being found guilty of First Degree Murder, Moore was also found guilty of Possession of a Firearm by a convicted felon, Felony Obstruction of Justice, and two
counts of Solicitation to Intimidate a Witness.

Superior Court Judge Jason Disbrow sentenced Moore to life without parole.