Bio

Michael Patrick Moore was born on September 16, 1963. TDCJ records list his native county as Onondaga County, New York, and show that he later lived in Texas. At the time of the crime, he was 30 years old. His listed prior occupation was painter, and his education was recorded as eight years with a GED. TDCJ listed no prior prison record.

Moore had a troubled background that became part of the punishment phase of his trial. Records introduced by the prosecution showed that he had spent part of his childhood at Conners Children’s Home. Evidence presented at trial indicated that, as a child, he had set fires, threatened violence against family members, and tried to stab his younger brother with scissors. While serving in the Navy, he was absent without authorization several times and was convicted of larceny.

Before the murder, Moore had developed a pattern of stalking and threatening teenage girls in Copperas Cove. Prosecutors introduced a notebook titled “The Girls of Copperas Cove,” which contained the names and addresses of about 300 teenage girls. Several girls, including Christa Bentley’s daughter, testified that Moore had stalked, harassed, or threatened them.

Murder Story

On the night of February 25, 1994, Michael Patrick Moore was drinking and playing pool at a nightclub in Killeen, Texas. After leaving the bar, he drove back to Copperas Cove. According to his confession, he was broke, behind on rent, and had written several bad checks, so he decided to look for a way to get money.

Moore chose the Bentley home because he had previously seen Christa Bentley’s teenage daughter in a Copperas Cove High School yearbook and had looked up her address. He also said he had once driven past the home and seen the girl outside. Moore later admitted that he believed the girl lived there, although she was not home when he entered the residence.

Sometime after 2:00 a.m. on February 26, 1994, Moore went to the Bentley house dressed in black clothing. He carried a crowbar, a pistol, and a large knife. He found the back door unlocked, left the crowbar on the porch, and entered the home armed with the gun and knife. Inside, he removed his black shirt, placed it on a chair, and moved toward the bedrooms.

Christa Bentley woke up and confronted Moore. She began screaming. Moore later said he tried to push her back, but she grabbed him and continued screaming. He stabbed her several times in the chest and then shot her before fleeing the house. Bentley’s 14-year-old son woke up, found his mother wounded, and called 911. She died within minutes from multiple stab wounds.

After leaving the scene, Moore drove away without his headlights on. Police began following him because of the traffic violation, not because they yet knew he was connected to the murder. Moore led officers on a high-speed chase for about 20 miles before slowing down, jumping from the car, and trying to run. Officers arrested him shortly afterward. While in custody, Moore was connected to Bentley’s murder and gave a confession.

Moore was indicted for capital murder on March 31, 1994. A jury found him guilty on October 31, 1994, and he was sentenced to death on November 3, 1994. His conviction and sentence were upheld through state and federal appeals.

Michael Patrick Moore was executed by lethal injection in Huntsville, Texas, on January 9, 2002. In his final statement, he apologized to Christa Bentley’s family, said he could not undo what he had done, and asked for forgiveness. He was 38 years old.