The Unsolved Murder of Andrew 'Andy' Moore: San Diego, 2000

The Unsolved Murder of Andrew Moore

• 💡 Andrew "Andy" Moore, a 26-year-old college student, was found brutally murdered in his San Diego apartment on September 12, 2000.
• 📌 He had been bludgeoned and stabbed while sleeping, with no signs of forced entry, and his deadbolted door was locked from the inside.
• 🔑 Andy's motorcycle was missing, and his phone and answering machine were found unplugged and moved.

Crime Scene and Initial Discoveries

• 🔬 Investigators determined Andy was attacked in his sleep, likely bludgeoned first, then stabbed, with no signs of struggle.
• 🔪 The knife used was believed to be one of Andy's own chef's knives, which were missing from his apartment.
• 💰 His wallet with $60 was left untouched, suggesting robbery was not the primary motive, but his keys were taken.
• 💬 A neighbor reported hearing a loud bang and something being thrown in the trash, followed by a motorcycle leaving at high speed, possibly indicating the killer's exit.

The Apartment and Missing Items

• 🏢 Andy's apartment building had a unique central air shaft accessible from bathroom windows, which could be used to move between units.
• 📞 Andy's unplugged phone and answering machine were found neatly stacked in an alcove off his bathroom window, an unusual placement for him.
• ⚠️ The building also had unsecured crawl space access points from outside, potentially allowing anyone off the street to enter.

Key Suspects and Leads

• 🧩 Vanessa, a former neighbor with a tumultuous relationship with Andy, was an early suspect due to her erratic behavior, harassment, and known use of the air shaft to enter his apartment; she passed a polygraph.
• 🏍️ Andy's motorcycle was found abandoned a month later in Golden Hill, the same neighborhood where Samuel Dixon, a convicted serial killer, murdered Gary Booth in 2001 with similar circumstances (nude victim, no forced entry, stolen vehicle); Dixon denied involvement in Andy's case, and his DNA did not match.
• 💔 A man named "Sam" developed an obsessive attachment to Andy after a single bowling outing; he showed extreme anger about the murder years later and had been evicted and moved away around the time of the crime, but also passed a polygraph and had no forensic ties to the scene.

DNA Evidence and Ongoing Investigation

• 🧬 A mixed DNA profile (one major male, one minor) was recovered from Andy's bedspread, with the major profile not belonging to Andy; it has not matched anyone in CODIS or known suspects.
• 🧪 While investigative genetic genealogy is not yet feasible for mixed profiles, advancements are anticipated.
• 🔍 Detective Tracey Barr is revisiting all leads, including a new person of interest whose prints were found in a vacant apartment across from Andy's and who has since accumulated a criminal record.