The Story for the Books: The Case of Tory Moore

Prologue: A Nightmare in Maryland

It was a sleepy winter afternoon in Maryland, December 8, 2022, when a routine day at the Dashin convenience store in White Oak turned into a waking nightmare. The White Oak area, nestled in Montgomery County, was the kind of place where people stopped for snacks, gas, and a brief chat with familiar faces behind the counter. But on this day, a single act of violence would ripple through the community and expose a much deeper, darker story—one that would haunt investigators, families, and anyone who heard its details.

Chapter 1: The First Shots

Just before 3 p.m., the Dashin store’s overhead CCTV captured staff going about their usual tasks. A man walked in, browsed the shelves, and approached the counter clutching a bottle of iced tea. The encounter between the man and the clerk quickly turned hostile. The man cracked open the bottle, took a sip, and refused to pay. What was said between them remains unknown—there’s no audio, only rising tension.

Suddenly, the customer threw something at the clerk. The clerk, 61-year-old Ayaloo Wandu, grabbed a pole from behind the counter and swung it at the man in self-defense—a split-second reaction that would be his last. The man pulled out a silver gun and fired multiple rounds. He then picked up his bottle of iced tea and walked out, leaving chaos and panic in his wake.

Chapter 2: The First 911 Calls

Within moments, frantic staff and passersby called 911. “The Shell station on the corner of Lockwood and New Hampshire Avenue. They just got robbed and somebody got shot. I don’t know if somebody got shot, but I heard gunshots.” The dispatcher listened as witnesses described the suspect: khaki pants, blue shirt, blue do-rag, gray hat, blue hoodie, tan coat. He was last seen walking away, heading toward the Enclave apartment complex across the street.

Ayaloo Wandu lay behind the counter, barely breathing. “He’s been shot in the heart area. I don’t think he…” The caller’s voice trailed off. By the time first responders arrived at 3:06 p.m., it was too late. Ayaloo was dead.

Chapter 3: A Familiar Face

Police began canvassing the area, talking to staff and searching for evidence. The store manager was shaken but not surprised. “He stays every day during the day. He comes, he stays outside in front, and he asks people for money. When they don’t give it to him, he gets a little aggressive.”

The man had been a regular presence at the store, often loitering and making threats. “Last week, maybe Wednesday or Thursday, he was here. He was doing too much outside and inside. I told him to leave. He didn’t want to go. I called the cops, but when they arrived, he had already left. He told me, ‘I’m going to shoot you. I’m going to kill you. I’m going to get you outside.’”

The store had filed trespassing notices against him, but he kept coming back. The manager didn’t know his name, only his habits and his cryptic claim: “I’m the king. I’m the fur.”

Chapter 4: The Search for the Suspect

The investigation intensified. More officers were called in from other districts; a helicopter circled overhead. The suspect was believed to be local, known to walk rather than drive, and often seen in downtown Silver Spring.

Detectives sifted through surveillance footage and trespassing records, working with the manager to identify the man. “Every day you see him. There’s a lot of footage of him staying outside.” The urgency was palpable. The community was rattled. “You never know when violence is going to strike. You hope it’s not you, but you also hope no one else gets hurt.”

Chapter 5: The Enclave Breakthrough

By 3 a.m. on December 9, nearly twelve hours after the murder, investigators reached a breakthrough. The suspect had walked toward the Enclave, a collection of high-rise buildings just across the street from the Dashin. Building CCTV showed him climbing the stairs at 3:03 p.m., minutes after the shooting, calm as ever, holding his bottle of iced tea.

Armed with a no-knock search warrant, SWAT officers congregated outside an apartment in the Enclave. Inside, they found Tory Moore, sleeping on a bare mattress near the kitchen. The apartment was messy, uncared for, and filled with a strange, oppressive smell. Something was wrong.

Chapter 6: A Gruesome Discovery

“You don’t want to go back there if you don’t have to. It’s pretty bad.” Officers soon discovered a body in the apartment, so decomposed it was nearly unrecognizable. “Could this be mom?” they wondered aloud, but Tory’s simple statement shattered their theory: “I need to text my mother and send her some money.” If this wasn’t his mother, then who was she?

The leasing office confirmed no one else was supposed to be in the apartment. A second search the following morning uncovered even more disturbing evidence: multiple weapons, spent shell casings, a sword, and signs that Tory had been living with the dead body for a month or more.

Chapter 7: The Interrogation

On December 11, two days after the shooting, detectives sat down to interrogate Tory. He seemed oddly detached, even philosophical. “I feel like I’m having deja vu, man. This one right here might be going for the books—as in famous. I’ve been thinking about writing a book. This is definitely a story for the books.”

As detectives probed, Tory tried to deflect blame, referencing past incidents and his own troubled life. He explained his presence at the gas station: “The only reason why I stopped is because I was trying to think, do I want to get me a tea or not?” He claimed the staff had a problem with him, painting himself as a victim of circumstance.

Chapter 8: The Victims

Detectives soon identified the woman found in Tory’s apartment as 26-year-old Denise Middleton. She was 8.5 months pregnant with Tory’s child—a boy she planned to name Ezekiel. Tory told investigators that Denise was his girlfriend and claimed to have discovered her in that state when he came home one day.

But the autopsy revealed Denise had been shot multiple times, at least four in the back. She had been dead for about two months when discovered, placing her death around October 8th or 9th.

Chapter 9: A Troubled Relationship

Tory and Denise’s relationship was tumultuous. Both had experienced homelessness and relied on social assistance programs. Tory believed Denise was being exploited by the program, forced to pay for a room and given medication she didn’t need. When Denise was told she had ten days to leave, Tory offered her a place to stay.

They had separated and reunited multiple times. In October, Tory took Denise to New York to see her mother, but the trip was marred by arguments. CCTV footage from October 9th shows the couple in their building’s elevator. Denise stands quietly in the corner, wiping away tears, following Tory out. It’s the last image of her alive.

Chapter 10: The Final Days

Tory recounted their final days together. “We was coming from somewhere, and she wanted to use the bathroom. We argued. I pushed her, but I didn’t push her that hard. She fell to the ground. I tried to help her up.”

He continued to blame Denise for their fights, refusing to take responsibility. “She was much bigger than me. I didn’t want her to die. When I left her, she was still living.”

But the evidence told a different story. Denise had been shot seven times, and her unborn child, Ezekiel, was viable at the time of the shooting—making his death a murder under Maryland law.

Chapter 11: The Community Reacts

The discovery of Denise and her child’s deaths shocked the community. “I go to this gas station almost every single other day. You never know when violence is going to strike.” The store manager’s fears had come true, and the tragedy reverberated through Silver Spring and beyond.

Investigators found damning Google searches on Tory’s phone: “How long before a body starts to stink,” “How to move dead body without being seen,” and “How to plead insanity.” After Denise’s death, Tory traveled to North Carolina and California, but eventually returned to Silver Spring, where Denise’s body remained in his apartment for 25 days.

Chapter 12: The Trial

Tory’s lawyers argued he was not competent to stand trial, citing schizophrenia and a lack of touch with reality. But the court disagreed. Tory faced charges for the murders of Ayaloo Wandu, Denise Middleton, and unborn Ezekiel—the first conviction for the murder of an unborn child in Montgomery County.

During the proceedings, Tory did not speak in his defense. He offered no explanation to the families of his victims. “A good explanation would have been good,” said a relative of Denise. “Yeah, I would have liked to hear why.”

Chapter 13: Justice Served

In May 2024, a jury found Tory Moore guilty of murdering Ayaloo Wandu. In November, he was convicted of the murders of Denise and her baby. Tory was sentenced to life in prison and will not be eligible for parole until he is 90 years old.

The families of the victims will never have the answers they seek. Denise’s relative spoke at the sentencing: “Rest in peace, Denise and Ezekiel. We got your back. You’re going to be missed.”

Chapter 14: Lessons and Legacy

The case of Tory Moore is a tragedy on many levels—a story of missed warnings, broken systems, and lives cut short by violence. It is also a cautionary tale about the importance of community vigilance, mental health support, and the need for swift action when threats are made.

For investigators, it was a case for the books, a story that will be remembered for its complexity and heartbreak. For the families, it is a loss that can never be fully healed.

If you or someone you know is experiencing abuse, the US National Domestic Violence Hotline is available 24/7: 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or thehotline.org.

Epilogue: The Story Continues

The details of the case, the pain of the families, and the lessons learned will echo for years to come. As the community moves forward, there is hope that justice, support, and awareness will prevent tragedies like this from happening again.

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Chapter 15: The Investigation Unfolds

In the days following Tory Moore’s arrest, Montgomery County detectives worked tirelessly, retracing his steps and reconstructing the timeline of events. The challenge was immense: two murder scenes, months apart, and a suspect whose mental state and motives were anything but clear. Investigators pored through CCTV footage from the Dashin convenience store and the Enclave apartment complex, matching timestamps and witness accounts.

Forensic teams processed both scenes meticulously. At the convenience store, they collected shell casings, fingerprints, and the iced tea bottle Tory had carried out. In his apartment, the scene was more disturbing: spent shell casings, a sword, and evidence of a body that had lain undisturbed for weeks. The autopsy on Denise Middleton revealed not only multiple gunshot wounds but also signs of prolonged neglect after death.

Detectives traced Tory’s movements after Denise’s death. His phone records showed erratic travel patterns—bus tickets to North Carolina, searches for hotels in California, and, chillingly, internet queries about disposing of bodies and pleading insanity in court. These digital breadcrumbs painted a picture of a man trying desperately to evade responsibility, yet ultimately unable to escape the consequences of his actions.

Chapter 16: The Psychological Puzzle

Mental health quickly became a focal point in the case. Tory’s defense team argued that he suffered from schizophrenia and was not competent to stand trial. Court-appointed psychiatrists evaluated him, reviewing his history of homelessness, substance abuse, and erratic behavior. While there was evidence of mental illness, the court ultimately determined that Tory understood the nature of his actions and could participate in his defense.

The question of motive lingered. Was Tory’s violence a product of untreated mental illness, or were there deeper, more personal triggers? Interviews with friends and family revealed a man who had struggled with instability and anger for years. His relationship with Denise was marked by cycles of affection and conflict, punctuated by periods of separation and reconciliation. In the end, the tragedy seemed to be the result of a perfect storm—frayed emotions, untreated mental health issues, and a community ill-equipped to intervene.

Chapter 17: The Ripple Effect

The murders sent shockwaves through Silver Spring and beyond. The Dashin convenience store closed for several days, its staff traumatized by the loss of a beloved colleague. Vigils were held for Ayaloo Wandu, with neighbors and customers leaving flowers and notes at the scene. Denise Middleton’s family gathered in grief, struggling to comprehend the senseless loss of both Denise and her unborn child, Ezekiel.

Local media covered the story extensively, balancing the need for public awareness with respect for the victims. Community leaders called for increased support for mental health services and stronger protections for victims of domestic violence. The Montgomery County Police Department reviewed its procedures for handling trespassing and threats, acknowledging the need for faster, more coordinated responses in the future.

Chapter 18: The Courtroom Drama

Tory Moore’s trial became a focal point for the community’s grief and outrage. Prosecutors presented a detailed timeline of events, supported by forensic evidence, witness testimony, and Tory’s own statements. The defense argued for leniency based on mental illness, but the jury was unmoved. The video evidence from the convenience store was particularly damning, showing Tory’s actions in real time.

During the trial, Denise’s family spoke of her kindness, resilience, and dreams for her unborn son. Ayaloo’s colleagues remembered his warmth and dedication to his work. The prosecution emphasized the premeditation behind both crimes—Tory’s threats, his repeated trespassing, and his attempts to conceal Denise’s death.

The verdict was clear: Tory Moore was found guilty on all counts, including the historic charge of murdering an unborn child. The sentencing was swift and severe—life in prison, with no possibility of parole until the age of 90.

Chapter 19: The Aftermath

With the trial concluded, the families of the victims faced the long process of healing. Denise’s relatives established a scholarship fund in her memory, dedicated to supporting young mothers in crisis. Ayaloo’s friends organized a memorial service, inviting the community to share stories and celebrate his life.

The Dashin convenience store gradually reopened, its staff supported by counseling and community outreach. The Enclave apartment complex increased security and implemented new protocols for reporting suspicious activity. Local organizations partnered with police to offer workshops on domestic violence prevention and mental health awareness.

For the wider community, the case became a catalyst for change. Residents advocated for better access to mental health care, stronger tenant protections, and more resources for victims of abuse. The Montgomery County Council passed new measures to improve coordination between law enforcement and social services, aiming to prevent future tragedies.

Chapter 20: Lessons Learned

The story of Tory Moore is a stark reminder of the dangers of untreated mental illness, the importance of early intervention, and the devastating impact of domestic violence. It highlights the need for communities to listen, support, and act when warning signs appear.

For law enforcement, the case underscored the value of technology—surveillance footage, digital records, and forensic science were crucial in solving the crimes. But it also revealed gaps in the system: delays in responding to threats, challenges in identifying and supporting vulnerable individuals, and the need for ongoing training in crisis intervention.

For families and survivors, the legacy of Denise Middleton, Ezekiel, and Ayaloo Wandu is one of resilience, advocacy, and hope. Their stories have inspired new programs, new conversations, and a renewed commitment to justice.

Chapter 21: Moving Forward

As the years pass, the memory of the tragedy remains. Denise’s family continues to honor her life and dreams, supporting other women in need. Ayaloo’s colleagues keep his spirit alive through acts of kindness and community service.

Montgomery County has become a model for other communities, sharing lessons learned and best practices for addressing domestic violence and mental health. The US National Domestic Violence Hotline remains a vital resource, offering support and guidance to those in crisis.

The story of Tory Moore is, indeed, “for the books”—not for its notoriety, but for the lessons it offers and the lives it seeks to protect. It is a reminder that behind every headline, every case file, and every courtroom verdict are real people, real pain, and real hope for a better future.

Epilogue: A Call to Action

If you or someone you know is experiencing abuse, please reach out. The US National Domestic Violence Hotline is available 24/7 at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or thehotline.org. No one should face violence alone, and help is always available.

As we reflect on this story, let us remember Denise, Ezekiel, and Ayaloo—not as victims, but as individuals whose lives matter. Let their memory inspire us to be vigilant, compassionate, and courageous in the face of adversity.

Stay safe, stay aware, and keep up with The Decoder for more stories that matter. Until next time.