Duane Moore: Washington man shoots dead mother of his 10-year-old child over custody dispute
BUCKLEY, WASHINGTON STATE: Amid a contentious custody battle, a 42-year-old father in Washington state has been taken into custody on suspicion of killing his child's mother, 40, by shooting her inside his apartment.
Authorities said that Duane Dushon Moore was arrested over the weekend and charged with one count of first-degree murder in connection with the death of Kayla Vallee.
Duane Dushon Moore accused of abandoning son
Vallee's parents claim that when Moore dropped off their child, he stopped his car more than a hundred yards from their house, per a News Tribune report. Moore is said to have abandoned his sobbing son in the driveway.
Moore had told the boy that they would never see each other again because Moore would soon be imprisoned for what he had done to the child's mother, which was the reason the child was crying.
Moore's home at the Hillside Glenn Apartments, which are situated in the 7300 block of 56th Street, was visited by deputies in response to a call made by Vallee's father requesting a welfare check. Deputies reported that they had found the vehicle Vallee had been driving in the apartment complex parking lot.
Investigators found Vallee's body after entering Moore's apartment. Moore's couch appeared to have blood on it when deputies entered his apartment, according to The News Tribune.
As per the reports, Vallee's body was stuffed between Moore's couch and another piece of furniture after being wrapped in a blanket.
According to a news release, an autopsy conducted by the Pierce County Medical Examiner revealed that Vallee's cause of death was multiple gunshot wounds, labeling the death a homicide.
Vallee's mother had previously told The News Tribune, "Me and all of her friends and her stepfather told her not to go in that apartment by herself. But she didn’t want to listen — she just wanted her boy back. I don’t think any of us thought he was going to kill her."
Duane Dushon Moore was arrested in Buckley
As soon as forensic investigators were sent to document the crime scene, investigators issued a bulletin alerting law enforcement agencies to search for Moore and his vehicle.
A few hours later, at 1.39 pm, someone reported seeing a suspicious car parked on a trail near the 13600 block of 300th Ave E in Buckley, Washington, to 911. The car fit the description that the police had of Moore's vehicle, Law&Crime reported.
The sheriff’s office said, “Buckley Police and our Foothills Detachment Deputies responded to the location to set up containment and attempt to arrest the suspect. Deputies attempted to contact the suspect who was not listening to commands.”
They continued, “Deputies and Buckley Officers utilized less lethal rounds to break the window and try to get the suspect to surrender. After an hour long standoff in the woods, Deputies utilized a taser and were able to take the suspect into custody.”
The report also said that when Moore did eventually get out of the car, he seemed to be trying to charge the responding officers. However, he stumbled and fell before he could get to them, which is when the officers shocked him with a stun gun.
According to records, Moore was placed under a $1 million bond at Pierce County Jail, according to the jail records, following a brief stay in the hospital. His next court date is set for January 3, 2024.
