New reward offered in Moore murder case

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January 22, 2013

New reward offered in Moore murder case

By BRAD KELLAR Herald-Banner Staff The Herald-Banner Tue Jan 22, 2013, 07:57 PM CST

GREENVILLE — A new reward fund has been established in the Alicia Moore murder case.

During a Tuesday afternoon press conference, Greenville Police Chief Daniel Busken and Van Zandt County Sheriff Lindsey Ray announced that a $25,000 reward has been offered for information leading to an arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for Moore's death.

Moore's family members also attended the press conference after meeting earlier in the day with Busken and Ray.

Ray, who took office January 1, said it was his first chance to speak with Moore’s family concerning the case.

“I wanted to express my personal condolences to this family,” Ray said. “As a community we are hurting for this family.”

Moore, 16, was last seen on the afternoon of Nov. 2, 2012 getting off of a school bus at the intersection of Bourland and Walnut Streets in Greenville, a short distance from her home.

Her body was found four days later along Farm Road 47 in Van Zandt County and the Greenville Police Department has joined with multiple other agencies in conducting a homicide investigation in the case.

Neither Busken or Ray commented on specifics of the investigation and declined to confirm a cause of death or whether any suspects had been identified in the case.

“We really have to limit ourselves in what we can talk about,” Busken said.

The police department took DNA samples from Moore’s family members. Busken said it was part of the overall investigative process.

“We told them we have to do a complete investigation,” Busken said.

When asked if he was concerned the case may never be solved, Busken paused before explaining a number of resources, both local and federal, are being devoted to the investigation.

Busken said the department is still awaiting some results of forensics testing.

“Until that happens, we cannot rule anything out,” he said.

Busken also indicated Moore’s disapppearance and murder were not connected to a report of an attempted abduction of a Greenville girl in January of last year.

“We don’t believe that this case is related to any other cases, at least any other cases in Greenville,” Busken said.

The reward is being offered through $5,000 contributions each from Hunt County Crime Stoppers, the Hunt County and Van Zandt County District Attorney's Offices, the Van Zandt County Sheriff's Office and Xerox, where Moore's mother, Aretha Moore is employed.

Jessica Byrd, Moore's aunt, likewise said she would not talk about the details of the investigation, but did say the family is comfortable with how the investigation is proceeding.

“I have patience,” Byrd said. “It is just going to take some time.”

She asked anyone with information to please contact Hunt County Crime Stoppers at 903-457-2929.

“If you know anything ... just tell what you know,” Byrd said. “Just do the right thing, that’s what the family asks.”