Shivangi Sinha
Bryan “Nick” Moore was a well-known businessman in Anderson, South Carolina. His close friends last saw him on March 4, 2004, and then disappeared. When one of his friends visited his home, they noticed all three of Nick’s cars parked in the driveway but found no sign of him inside or around the house. A few days later, his body was discovered in a wooded area, having been shot twice. In Crime Junkie’s podcast, ‘Murdered’, the episode titled ‘Bryan “Nick” Moore’ details the murder and the progress of the investigation to date have been featured.
The Police Suspected Personal Motivations in Nick’s Murder
Bryan “Nick” Moore was born on November 21, 1968, to Patrick Edward and Ruth Ann Porter Moore. He grew up in Landrum, South Carolina, alongside his brother Tony Clardy and sister Jeri Campbell. Nick exhibited intelligence and a strong aptitude for business from a young age. As he matured, his natural business acumen became apparent. He launched a detailing shop in Anderson, South Carolina, where he achieved significant success and gained considerable local acclaim. His business success soon allowed him to pursue his true passions.
By 2004, Nick had established an antique store and earned a notable reputation across the state as a “picker.” In the context of antiques, a “picker” searches for valuable or unique items, often buying them at lower prices to resell at a profit. Nick had been married before but had separated and had two sons, Justin and Chase Moore, who were the center of his life. He frequently spoke proudly of them to his friends. On March 7, when Nick’s friend Barry Crawford noticed he hadn’t seen him for a while, he decided to visit his home. Barry observed that all three of Nick’s cars were parked outside, but one was unlocked—a notable deviation from his friend’s usual meticulousness. Curious, Barry went inside and found the house empty.
On March 8, Barry filed a missing person report, and on March 12, the police received a call about a body found in a forested area of the county. The body was identified as Nick’s, and it was discovered that he had been shot twice—once in the face and once in the chest. His shirt was pulled up to cover his face, and a hole in the shirt indicated that he had been killed in an execution-style manner. Given the personal nature of the killing, the police began their investigation by focusing on those closest to Nick.
Nick Was Spotted Driving With a Friend the Day He Disappeared
When the police interviewed Barry Crawford, he mentioned that the last time he saw Nick was on March 4. Nick had visited his shop, and by 5:30 pm, he had left with another friend, Wayne Miles. Wayne was a relatively new acquaintance Barry wasn’t close to and felt uneasy about. Barry’s father also saw both men driving in a truck around 9:30 pm. When the police spoke to Wayne, he confirmed that they had spent time together and that he had dropped Nick off at his home. Wayne did note something slightly unusual about that day, which caught the police’s attention.
While Wayne and Nick were together, Nick received a call from a woman named Sunshine, whom he was casually dating. She informed him about a dispute at her house, but the situation had been resolved quickly. The police reached out to Sunshine, who was then living with her boyfriend, James Barker. Sunshine explained that she had started seeing Nick while James was incarcerated and lived with James’s mother, Debbie, who owned an antique store. The police began focusing on individuals who might have had a motive to kill Nick, and James came under scrutiny due to prior threats he had made.
Persons of Interest Were Identified Two Decades After Nick’s Murder
Although James had a solid alibi for the night, Debbie had also been in contact with Nick. In fact, Nick had filed a police complaint against her, alleging she had threatened his life over the damage done to her son’s home. Debbie claimed that while she and Nick had not been on the best terms, she had never made such threats and that the complaint was filed weeks after their interaction. She also had a reliable alibi for that night. During this time, others who knew Nick raised concerns with the police, noting that Nick’s ex-wife’s husband, Rodney Thomas, had been acting unusually.
Wayne had been seen flaunting business cards similar to Nick’s after the murder, and some friends claimed he had been mimicking Nick’s mannerisms. The statement was made after a woman called the police and remembered seeing a white truck in the woods a few days before Nick’s body was recovered from a nearby area. She claimed she had seen three to four men carrying something heavy, which was possibly a body. However, no more details have been revealed to the public. Before any additional progress could be made, Wayne allegedly died by suicide on May 9, 2024. The police are still searching for answers and remain hopeful about providing closure to Nick’s family, especially his sons.
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