The case of 18-year old Robert Torian, who is charged with murder in the shooting death of Terrill Moore, now heads to the grand jury following a preliminary hearing Monday in Christian District Court.
Torian appeared before Judge Foster Cotthoff along with public defender Rick Sanborn, and Hopkinsville Police Detective Randall Greene explained the investigation. He says Torian was identified by an eyewitness as an occupant of the vehicle Moore was riding in when he was shot on August 11.
Torian also reportedly told officers he and Moore had gotten into an argument that night, and Moore had been armed.
The two had been at a gathering near McHenry Street when the argument occurred, and Detective Green says after they rode around some, Torian is alleged to have gotten out of the vehicle and then shot Moore in the head.
Sanborn contended that the affidavit states Torian shot Moore in the face, which was proven incorrect by an autopsy, when it determined Moore was shot in the back of the head.
Sanborn argues that when proven incorrect, officers should have conducted additional interviews with the witness to get the truth. Detective Green says the driver of the vehicle Moore was shot in identified Torian out of a photo line-up, and another witness said they saw him get into the vehicle. No murder weapon has yet been located.
Judge Cotthoff determined there was probable cause and sent the case on to the grand jury for consideration.