Trial begins for man charged with murdering cousin in Elk Grove Village motel
Rarely do prosecutors and defense attorneys find common ground. But in the case of Deon Moore, charged with shooting his cousin Larry Moore, 33, to death in an Elk Grove Village motel room, they agree on one point.
The victim and the accused weren't just cousins, they were friends.
"Some would say they were like brothers," said Assistant Cook County State's Attorney Denise Loiterstein in her opening statement Tuesday as Deon Moore's bench trial commenced before Cook County Judge Steven Goebel.
But around midnight on May 20, 2017, "the word 'family' meant nothing to the defendant," said Loiterstein of Deon Moore, who she said pistol whipped his cousin then shot him in the neck after their alcohol-fueled altercation grew heated and Deon Moore "reached a breaking point."
Moore, 34, remained in the motel room in the 1000 block of West Devon Avenue - where Larry Moore had lived for about a year - with his cousin's body for about 10 hours, Loiterstein said. Over the next few days, Deon Moore took pains to cover his tracks. He ditched the weapon, lied about his whereabouts and pretended to grieve with his family, Loiterstein said.
But, she added, "the lies need to stop now."
Defense attorneys argued that Deon Moore never intended to hurt his cousin, who they say had a temper and was known to drink excessively.
"This was a reckless act, a stupid act, but it was not an intentional act," said Assistant Cook County Public Defender Wendy Schilling.
According to Schilling, the dispute erupted after the men had been drinking. Deon Moore sensed his cousin becoming aggressive, Schilling said. Out of fear, he struck Larry Moore with the gun, which accidentally discharged, she said.
"The gun went off accidentally and the person Deon thought of as his brother was gone," said Schilling, who told the court her client's account would be corroborated by the medical examiner, who is scheduled to testify when the trial resumes on March 21.
The prosecution's case included testimony from the motel housekeeper who discovered Larry Moore's body on May 21, 2017 and Elk Grove detective Michael McIntyre who said Deon Moore told him he struck his cousin with the gun, but his finger slipped and he accidentally hit the trigger. Testimony concluded with motel-supplied surveillance video that shows the cousins entering and exiting the lobby and Larry Moore's room multiple times on May 19, several hours before Moore's death.
The surveillance video also shows Deon Moore leaving the room alone about 11 a.m. on May 20 and carrying a duffel bag.