DA: Road rage killer, store shooter now off streets in Montgomery
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WAKA) — Two high-profile cases in Montgomery have reached resolution, bringing long-awaited justice to victims and their families, District Attorney Azzie Oliver said.
Oliver said convictions in both cases ensure two violent offenders will no longer pose a threat to the community.
One case dates back to 2015, when 34-year-old Jamie Lightsey was shot and killed in a road rage incident in a south Montgomery neighborhood.
Investigators said that on April 1, 2015, Lightsey was on her way to visit a friend when she stopped at a liquor store in south Montgomery. While there, she was involved in a minor crash with another vehicle driven by Darrell Moorer.
Authorities said Moorer became angry, and the two argued. Lightsey attempted to leave, but Moorer followed her into a nearby neighborhood. Witnesses told police Moorer pulled alongside Lightsey’s vehicle and fired multiple shots, striking her in the head and killing her before driving away.
The case remained unsolved for years until a tip was submitted to CrimeStoppers in 2023, leading to a break in the investigation.
“Justice delayed doesn’t always mean justice denied,” Oliver said. “So if it was not for that citizen who called in, if it was not for Montgomery Police Department and the cold case unit, that case would’ve gone unsolved.”
Moorer pleaded guilty and was sentenced earlier this year to 24 years in prison.
In a separate case, Maricas Taylor, a Montgomery man, was sentenced in February to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Prosecutors said Taylor fired shots inside a convenience store on Fairview Avenue in 2022 following a verbal argument with a cashier.
“Because of his violent history, he should not have even had a firearm to begin with,” Oliver said. “He got convicted, and so that’s one more person off the streets that will turn to violence when things don’t go their way.”
Montgomery has recorded eight homicides so far this year, down from 15 during the same period last year.
Oliver said both law enforcement and prosecutors continue to work through a backlog of cases.
“The Montgomery Police Department is working as hard as they can to try and get case files to us. Our violent crime unit is working hard prepping cases,” Oliver said. “Even though (the defendants) may plea, you’re still getting it ready for trial.”
“But you can see how behind we are when we are dealing with cases that happened in 2022 and it is now 2026,” she said. “So you can see how frustrating it is for the victims’ families.”
An event to honor victims of violent crime is scheduled for April 21 at 6:30pm at the Multiplex at Cramton Bowl. The evening of remembrance will bring together families and community members impacted by violence. There will also be a blood drive on April 23 at 100 South Lawrence Street.
“Some of them are still — the cases are still tied up in the court system. Some of the cases have been over,” Oliver said. “And we just come together and give the community a chance to show them that we can love on you and we want you to know that you are not alone fighting this.”
Grand juries meet in Montgomery County once a month to decide whether between 250 and 300 cases will go to trial.
