Jahmir Moore was 15 when Jevario Buie was killed near railroad tracks in Tampa, and a jury rejected Moore’s self-defense claim.
TAMPA, FL — A Florida teenager convicted of first-degree murder in the 2024 shooting death of 14-year-old Jevario Buie was sentenced Friday to 55 years in prison, ending a case that began when both the victim and defendant were minors.
Hillsborough Circuit Judge Lyann Goudie imposed the sentence Oct. 16 on Jahmir Moore, now 17, after weighing the seriousness of the killing against Moore’s age when the crime occurred. Moore was 15, about a month past his birthday, when Buie was killed April 17, 2024. Because Moore committed the crime as a juvenile, his sentence allows for judicial review after he has served 25 years.
“I can’t look at this 17-year-old and pronounce a life sentence,” Goudie said during the sentencing hearing. “I just cannot do it.” The judge said Moore’s youth and potential for rehabilitation weighed against a sentence that would keep him in prison for the rest of his life. At the same time, the court considered the circumstances of Buie’s death and evidence prosecutors said showed a lack of remorse after the killing.
Buie was found shortly after 3:30 p.m. near railroad tracks between Busch Boulevard and Rome Avenue in North Tampa. Police said surveillance video showed Buie, Moore and another boy walking together that afternoon. The third boy later left, and footage showed Moore and Buie continuing toward a dead end near the tracks. Minutes later, Moore was seen walking away from the area without Buie. Police arrested Moore in December 2024 after an investigation that lasted nearly eight months.
At Moore’s September trial, prosecutors argued that the shooting grew out of a dispute involving one of Moore’s friends and one of Buie’s friends. They said Moore contacted Buie’s friend through Instagram and arranged for the boys to meet. Prosecutors portrayed the encounter as part of a revenge plan and relied on surveillance video, social media posts, text messages and other digital evidence to build their case. They also presented messages in which Moore discussed details of Buie’s death that investigators said had not been publicly released.
Moore testified in his own defense and admitted shooting Buie but said he acted in self-defense after seeing Buie reach toward his waistband and believing he had a gun. Moore told jurors he struggled with Buie and fired because he feared for his life. His defense attorney, Scott Sinardi, argued that Moore believed he was being targeted because of an earlier dispute involving other teenagers. Prosecutors challenged that account, noting that first responders did not find a gun with Buie and pointing to Moore’s conduct and messages after the shooting. The jury deliberated for about four hours before finding Moore guilty of first-degree murder.
The sentencing hearing focused heavily on Moore’s age, development and prospects for rehabilitation. Defense attorneys argued that his childhood and immaturity should be considered and said his background included family difficulties, academic problems and other challenges. Prosecutors sought a harsher punishment, arguing that the evidence showed planning and deliberate violence. Assistant State Attorney Chinwe Fossett told the court that Moore knew his actions were wrong and intentionally chose to kill another person.
Buie’s relatives asked the judge for a life sentence and described the lasting effect of his death. His mother, Jasmine Baldwin, remembered her son’s laugh, smile and playful personality. His grandfather, Michael Baldwin Sr., told Moore that accepting responsibility would be necessary for genuine accountability. After the sentence was imposed, the family said the court proceeding brought an important part of the case to an end but did not erase their loss.
The case also drew attention after Moore escaped from the Hillsborough Regional Juvenile Detention Center on Dec. 8, 2024, just days after his arrest in Buie’s death. Tampa police and the U.S. Marshals Task Force recaptured him later that day near West Keyes Avenue. Authorities said he subsequently faced an additional felony escape charge. He remained in custody as the murder case proceeded to trial.
Friday’s sentence means Moore faces decades in prison but retains a future opportunity for a court to review his punishment because he was a juvenile when the crime occurred. The 55-year term followed his September conviction and more than two years of investigation, court proceedings and testimony surrounding Buie’s death. For Buie’s family, the sentencing closed the trial phase of a case that began with the 14-year-old’s death beside the Tampa railroad tracks in April 2024.
Author note: Last updated October 18, 2026.