Terri Williams Moore
Age 3420 May 1976
Lynnville, Iowa (USA)
Shot
TDoR list ref: tdor.infp/5-20-1976/Terri Williams Moore
Terri's body was found dumped on a highway. She had been shot in the head and back by her husband, Richard A. Moore, 26.
They had been married less than a week earlier on 14th May 1976 and were on their honeymoon.
May 20, 1976, the body of Terri Williams Moore was discovered near an interstate exit ramp near Lynnville. She had been shot in the head and back. During the investigation authorities discovered Terri at some time had undergone a sex-change operation. Investigation resulted in a murder charge against defendant Richard A. Moore, Terri's husband of one week. Moore, arrested at his home in Colorado, was returned to Iowa for trial.
Trial court interrupted jury selection when defendant suddenly attempted to confess *439 and plead guilty. A competency proceeding was conducted pursuant to chapter 783, The Code. Defendant was found competent to stand trial. Trial resumed and defendant was convicted. From the record made the jury could find the following facts.
Defendant and Terri traveled to East Lansing, Michigan, for their honeymoon and stayed with Terri's friends. Several of these people knew Terri before her sex-change operation, when her name was Frank Felice. While in East Lansing defendant and Terri often argued. One night defendant told one of his hosts he was "going to blow her away" and explained this meant "shoot her." The next morning the couple left for Denver, several days ahead of schedule. Terri, fearing for her safety, asked her friends to notify police if she didn't call in two days. Less then twenty-four hours later defendant shot Terri and left her and her possessions on the roadside. Defendant had the murder weapon in his car while in Michigan. He was carrying it when arrested.
Terri’s transsexuality was part of the trial, but it was not put on trial – a big distinction. Several folks who worked at the Jasper County Courthouse in 2004 when I visited there remembered the trial. They were all clear on this: Yes, everyone was aware that the victim was a trans woman – but what they were appalled by was that she was killed on her honeymoon.
Richard A. Moore was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life.
https://www.transadvocate.com/in-memory-of-terri-williams-moore-1941-1976_n_16190.htm
https://endablog2.wordpress.com/2016/05/19/in-memory-of-terri-williams-moore-1941-1976/
https://endablog.wordpress.com/2011/07/24/the-honeymoons-that-will-murder-transsexuals-rights/
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/10_JeZ7LEIRhvewTCoL5mVkH6MQJzf7fSXl4-P6QJ0v0/edit#gid=0
https://zagria.blogspot.com/2016/07/terri-williams-moore-1941-1976-dancer.html
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/44739091/terri-a-moore
https://law.justia.com/cases/iowa/supreme-court/1979/60581-0.html
https://www.findadeathforum.com/showthread.php?38849-The-Unwanted-Bride-Terri-Williams-Moore-1976
http://transascity.org/1976-transgender-news/
