A grand jury has indicted a 34-year-old man in the Sept. 27 fatal shooting of the Rev. Akeem Moore in West Palm Beach, the Palm Beach County State Attorney’s Office announced on Friday, Oct. 23.
Hugh Earp Milner Jr. will face charges of first-degree murder with a firearm, attempted second-degree murder with a firearm, felon in possession of a firearm and shooting into an occupied vehicle. Milner remains in the Palm Beach County Jail, where he has been held without bail since days after the incident.
The indictment follows an investigation by West Palm Beach police into the death of Moore, a 31-year-old pastor and musician based at Mount Calvary Baptist Church. Detectives determined Milner fired shots at Moore’s car while Moore and a passenger
were inside.
"Akeem Moore was a young man who served the community through his ministry and his music. This senseless act of violence leaves lasting pain for those who knew and loved him," said State Attorney Alexcia Cox in a Oct. 23 prepared statement.
"My office remains committed to holding violent offenders accountable and seeking justice on behalf of victims. This indictment serves as a critical first step.”
The State Attorney's Office said its homicide team will prosecute the case.
Akeem Moore homicide may stem from case of mistaken identity
According to investigators, Moore and another passenger were parked in a lot along the 500 block of Ontario Place in West Palm Beach, near Cardinal Newman High School, just after midnight on Sept. 27. At about 12:30 a.m., Milner approached the passenger side of the car and began striking the window.
The passenger recognized Milner and believed he was mistaking them for someone else. Police said Milner then pulled a handgun from his waistband and pointed it at Moore and the passenger.
Moore, Mount Calvary Baptist Church, lowered the passenger-side window and told Milner they were not the people he was looking for.
As Moore began reversing the car out of the parking lot, Milner opened fire, shooting multiple times as the vehicle drove on Ontario Place, according to the arrest report.
Moore told the passenger he had been shot. The pair noticed blood on Moore's back and called 911 before Moore reached a nearby fire station.
Paramedics drove Moore to a hospital, where he died from his injuries.
Police used Flock camera technology and license-plate readers to identify the black Hyundai Elantra that police say Milner used to flee the scene. Investigators tracked the vehicle to Broward County, where deputies located the car and arrested Milner.
West Palm Beach Police Chief Antonio Araujo said at a Sept. 30 news conference that Moore died a hero.
After being wounded, Moore drove the passenger to a nearby fire station before succumbing to his injuries, Araujo said. His actions saved the other person's life.
"Akeem should be remembered as a hero," Araujo said. "Even after being shot, he acted selflessly and courageously."
Valentina Palm covers immigration and breaking news for The Palm Beach Post. Email her at vpalm@pbpost.com and follow her on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, at @ValenPalmB. Support local journalism: Subscribe today
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Grand jury hands down murder indictment in West Palm pastor's death
