Tavon Moore pleads guilty to two charges

By D.C. Witness Staff - July 26, 2016
Court | Homicides | Suspects |

Tavon Moore, 26, pleaded guilty on Tuesday to voluntary manslaughter and assault with a dangerous weapon.

Moore is responsible for the murder of Noel Rezene which took place earlier this year on March 4. He was originally charged with second-degree murder while armed and assault with intent to kill while armed. Upon his pleading guilty to voluntary manslaughter and assault with a dangerous weapon, these original charges will be dropped.

Moore’s sentence will be 15 years in prison.

“No more and no less,” said Judge Lynn Leibovitz.

After these 15 years, he will have five years of supervised release for the charge of voluntary manslaughter, and three years for the assault with a dangerous weapon charge. Both of these will be served concurrently.

The prosecution, reading their proof to charge Moore, read aloud details of Rezene’s murder. On the day of the murder, Moore’s son’s mother and her friend, Noel Rezene, visited Moore’s apartment. Rezene entered the apartment and immediately became engaged in a verbal argument with Moore. Moore began walking away from Rezene when Rezene pulled out a handgun and started shooting at Moore. Rezene then fled back to the parked vehicle he had arrived in. Unharmed, Moore followed him outside with another handgun and repeatedly shot at Rezene sitting in the driver seat, and his son’s mother, sitting in the passenger seat.

After driving to the hospital with multiple gunshot wounds each, Rezene succumbed to his injuries. The other victim survived.

Moore’s defense attorney Katerina Semyonova said her client was acting in self-defense. However, the judge disagreed.

Moore’s sentence will be officially decided by a judge on Sept. 23.