He was a murder suspect, fugitive for four years. Here’s why his case was dismissed

A Stanislaus County judge has dismissed a murder charge against a man who was accused in a 2015 Modesto shooting and was found in Georgia after four years of being identified as a most wanted fugitive.

Clarence Frederick Moore, 30, was wanted in the death of 49-year-old Louis Ramos.

Ramos was shot multiple times and underwent surgery but later died, according to authorities. Moore’s attorney says there was significant problems with witnesses identifying the suspected shooter.

The deadly shooting occurred July 1, 2015. Deputies responded to the 1700 block of Donald Street in west Modesto and found Ramos with gunshot wounds.

Moore had been identified as a murder suspect in the Ramos shooting, and he had been listed for about four years in the Most Wanted section of the Stanislaus Area Crime Stoppers website.

He was captured in Georgia and extradited back to California. The Stanislaus County District Attorney’s Office on Sept. 13 formally charged Moore with murder, along with enhancements that alleged he used a gun in Ramos’ death and acted with premeditation, according to a filed criminal complaint.

Moore had been in custody at the Stanislaus County Jail since mid-September. His bail was set at $3 million. Moore returned to court Nov. 12 for his preliminary hearing to determine whether there’s enough evidence for him to stand trial.

Del Bahner, Moore’s attorney, told The Bee that the prosecution found four witnesses who each identified a different person as the shooter who killed Ramos. Bahner said one witness identified Moore as the shooter in a photo lineup, but that witness told investigators that Moore “looks like” the shooter.

Ramos spoke to authorities shortly before he died and identified the shooting suspect as a man with the street moniker “Solo.” Bahner said his client uses a another street moniker and was definitely not the man Ramos named.

Investigators testified in court about what they learned in the investigation. Stanislaus Superior Judge Dawna Reeves said there was not sufficient evidence to order a trial for Moore. Without enough information for probable cause, the judge dismissed the case and ordered Moore to be released. He left the jail the following day.

John Goold, a spokesman for the District Attorney’s Office, said there is no statute of limitations on murder cases, and it is possible to file a new criminal complaint against Moore if investigators uncover additional evidence in this case. He declined to discuss the circumstances in the case that led up to the dismissal.

“We cannot make any public statements on the case, since that would violate the professional rules governing prosecutors,” Goold said.

This story was originally published November 22, 2019 at 8:50 AM.