Florida police officer commits suicide www.privateofficer.com
A Chattahoochee police officer shot himself to death Friday as police were discovering the body of his long-time mistress buried in a shallow grave near his home east of Chattahoochee, according to Chattahoochee Police Chief Vann Pullen.
Lt. Barry Moore, who is married, quickly became a suspect in the disappearance of Antoinette Ross after a witness reported she was seen voluntarily getting into Moore’s police cruiser at her home in Quincy late Wednesday night.
She was expected home that evening and never returned.
Police believe Moore killed Ross in the early morning hours Thursday, but do not yet know her exact cause of death as an autopsy in pending.
Pullen said authorities believe Moore learned that Ross had been on a date with someone else earlier Wednesday evening, and confronted her.
Gadsden County authorities, who were still searching for the missing woman, contacted Pullen around noon Thursday with information about Moore and Ross being seen in the cruiser together in Quincy.
Pullen immediately suspended Moore for taking the cruiser out of his jurisdiction and using it for personal business. Moore’s service revolver was also confiscated.
Meanwhile, one of Pullen’s officers reported something unusual that happened during Moore’s overnight shift, which began Wednesday evening.
The officer said he had pulled up next to Moore in the Florida State Hospital cemetery, and that Moore inexplicably sped away.
A search of that area turned up nothing suspicious. The search then focused on Moore’s residence. At this point, Moore was on suspension.
According to Pullen, Moore and Ross had an ongoing relationship for at least 10 years, and had a 3-year-old child together.
No further details were immediately available.
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