Cedric Baldwin

Cedric Baldwin, a 38-year-old Black man from Independence, Louisiana, was a graduate of Independence High School. Remembered by loved ones as a devoted father, he was known for always making sure his children were well cared for. His life was tragically cut short in September 2019, sparking a multi-parish investigation that unraveled a grim plot and led authorities to a father and son.

The case began on Saturday, September 21, 2019, when the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff's Office received a missing person report for Cedric Baldwin. Family members had not seen or heard from him since Tuesday, September 17. As detectives began their investigation, the Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office made a disturbing discovery in a wooded area off Louisiana Highway 442: Baldwin’s vehicle, which had been set on fire and was completely burned.

Investigators soon learned that Baldwin was last seen in the company of Michael Ray “Mitch” Moore, a 41-year-old resident of Independence. This information led them to a key person of interest, Moore’s 19-year-old son, Jermichael Grayer. At the time, Grayer was already incarcerated at the Tangipahoa Parish Jail on an unrelated weapons charge. When detectives interviewed him about Baldwin's disappearance, Grayer made a shocking confession. He admitted that he was present when his own father, Michael Moore, fatally shot Cedric Baldwin.

Grayer provided a detailed account of the events that followed the killing. He told investigators that after the shooting, he and his father traveled to St. Helena Parish, where they disposed of Baldwin’s body. From there, the two drove to the location in Livingston Parish where they abandoned Baldwin’s vehicle and set it ablaze. Acting on this information, and with Grayer's assistance, detectives from the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office located and recovered Cedric Baldwin's body in St. Helena Parish at approximately 3:00 p.m. on Monday, September 23. The St. Helena Parish Sheriff's Office and the Louisiana State Police Crime Lab were called to process the scene where Baldwin was found.

Following his confession, Jermichael Grayer was charged with principal to second-degree murder and obstruction of justice for his role in the crime and its concealment. The Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office promptly obtained an arrest warrant for Michael Ray Moore, who was now wanted for second-degree murder. Authorities issued a public alert, warning that Moore should be considered armed and dangerous.

The manhunt for Michael Moore came to an end on Wednesday, October 2, 2019. Acting on information developed during the investigation, members of the U.S. Marshals Service located and apprehended him in Jackson, Mississippi. Moore was arrested without incident and prepared for extradition back to Louisiana to face the murder charge.

The complex investigation spanned three Louisiana parishes—Tangipahoa, Livingston, and St. Helena—and involved the coordinated efforts of their respective sheriff's offices, along with the Louisiana State Police and the U.S. Marshals Service. While authorities announced the arrests of both father and son, a motive for Cedric Baldwin's murder was not publicly released. As of October 2019, the initial phase of the investigation had concluded with both suspects in custody, marking the beginning of legal proceedings in the case.