Antoinette Ross was a loving mother of three and a woman” who’d brighten the day of those around her, friends said she always kept a smile on her face.
On Friday that smile would be forever lost as the 34- year old's body was found Friday afternoon in a shallow grave behind the home of a Barry Moore a Chattahoochee police officer who was the father of a 3 year-old child, according Gadsden County Sheriff’s Office.
About the same time investigators made the discovery, the officer, Barry Moore, shot himself in his front yard on Mount Pleasant Road. He was taken by helicopter to Tallahassee Memorial Hospital, where he died later that afternoon.
Antoinette Ross mother of 3, died from a gunshot wound to the chest fired by the cowardly tin badge officer Moore.
No surprise that she was last seen in with officer Moore by family on Wednesday that contacted authories because the woman had been reported missing and like many women Antionette would never leave without telling someone where she was or leave her children home alone.
The Tuesday evening before she had a dinner date with a man. It is suspected that officer Moore was stalking Antionette and was outraged that she had gone on a date.
Police learned that Moore, dressed in his police uniform, had been knocking on the apartment door and looking into the windows while Ross was out. Ross’ older daughter was home at the time, and she had called her mom to tell her.
A neighbor saw Ross return home, walking into her apartment for just a minute before leaving in her car. She returned 15 minutes later and was seen getting into the patrol car, which drove out of the complex, according to authorities.
According to a local news station “During an interview regarding Ms. Ross and her wherabouts at the police department where offficer Moore was employed, superviors stated "he was inconsistent in some of his answers, and some of his answers were not factual.” Moore was advised of his rights, “and Moore immediately terminated the interview and left the building.” said police. At that point, no body had been found, and investigators didn’t have enough evidence to arrest officer Moore.
Meanwhile, dozens of law-enforcement officers from numerous agencies, including the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission, spent Thursday and early Friday searching the state hospital grounds where Moore had been seen and the area around Moore’s property.
On Friday, a massive search around officer Moore’s home spotted what appeared to be a shallow grave in Moore’s backyard. About the same time, investigators, who were in the back of the property, learned that a neighbor had called 911 to report seeing Moore shoot himself in the chest.
Like so many victims who are in violent relationships she would try so hard to get right and get on her feet, but she just kept getting pulled back into that relationship. And being involved with a police officer who is controlling and abusive women dating these bozo's have no place to safely turn for help. The tools that an abusive police officer have at their disposal places greater risk for victims.
Tragically, until wives and girlfriends of law enforcement officers are offered a safe exit plan, we will continue to see the death toll rise!
