NASHVILLE,  TENN  (WGNS) - James Lafayette Moore, 51, of Nashville, was convicted of first-degree murder in the Circuit Court of Rutherford County, Tennessee, on June 2, 1993, and sentenced to life in prison. After serving decades behind bars, Moore was granted parole on March 14, 2024, and released.

Now, Moore faces new federal charges after a federal grand jury in Nashville has indicted him for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1), according to United States Attorney Braden H. Boucek for the Middle District of Tennessee.

“Our top priority is protecting our community from violent offenders who, despite records of serious violence, are back on the street committing more violence,” said U.S. Attorney Boucek. “If you have a prior conviction for a violent felony and you use a gun to commit another violent crime then we will bring the full might of federal law enforcement to bear in holding you accountable.”

According to court documents, on August 24, 2025, Moore allegedly shot an unarmed man four times in the face, neck, and upper body at point-blank range on the balcony of My Town Extended Stay on Antioch Pike in Nashville. The shooting was captured on video surveillance cameras.

Authorities say that following the incident, bystanders assisted law enforcement by pointing out Moore’s direction of flight. He was apprehended nearby at a Twice Daily gas station on Harding Place. A K9 unit later located the pistol allegedly used in the shooting in a shrub adjacent to the gas station.

If convicted on the federal firearm charge, Moore faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.

The case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Carlin C. Hess is prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.