Thomas Moore was convicted of robbing and killing Johnny Parrish and burning down the victim’s residence.

Parrish was a resident in Moore’s neighborhood and the two were considered friends. At approximately 3:00 p.m. on January 21, 1993, Moore and Parrish sat outside Parrish’s house drinking. In a statement Moore claimed that two neighborhood youths, Clemons and Gaines, approached the house. Moore also stated that he had seen the same two youths chasing another youth, “Little Terry” with a gun earlier that day.

Clemons denied these events at the trial. Both Clemons and Gaines testified to having a conversation with Moore about robbing Parrish. During this conversation, it was established that Clemons would go into the house with Moore and that Gaines would serve as a lookout. Gaines testified that he saw neither Moore nor Clemons enter the house, but he heard two shots and then saw Clemons exit and then reenter from the back of the house.

Gaines started to walk away from the residence and Clemons caught up with him and stated that Moore had shot Parrish. Clemons testified that he and Moore entered the house, and Moore pulled a gun on Parrish. After asking Parrish where he kept his money and receiving no response, Moore shot Parrish.

Two neighbors saw smoke coming out of Parrish’s house and ran in and pulled him out. Parrish was already dead by this time.

According to the fire inspector, two separate intentional fires were started.

A witness named Shorter testified that Moore brought him a bag full of clothes and asked him to burn them.

According to Shorter, Moore also stated that he had shot Parrish and burned down his house. Moore specifically stated that he shot Parrish twice, Clemons ran out of the house, and then Moore took the top of a lawnmower that he found and set it on fire to get rid of the fingerprints in the house. Shorter called his mother, who then called the police.

A jail inmate testified that Moore stated that he did not mean to kill Parrish, but that he had to because Parrish could identify him. Another neighbor testified that Moore had asked him to rob Parrish.

Source: Florida Commission on Capital Cases