Jayzeir Gaddy was a hardworking 17-year-old from Lorain, Ohio, who loved sports, video games, rapping, and spending time with his family. Born on May 9, 2007, to Latoya Atwood and Willie Gaddy Sr., Jayzeir was preparing to welcome a child with his girlfriend, Jaishali Rivera. His family remembered him as a very loving kid whose laughter and dedication would be deeply missed.
On the evening of April 11, 2025, a burst of gunfire drew police to a parking lot in the 1100 block of Tower Boulevard in Lorain. Officers arrived around 5 p.m. to find two people had been shot. One victim, 21-year-old Larry Moore Jr., was pronounced dead at the scene. Jayzeir, a Black male, was critically wounded and flown by LifeFlight to MetroHealth Medical Center in Cleveland. He died from a gunshot wound to the forehead later that same day.
In the immediate aftermath, police detained one man at the scene but released him without filing charges.
The investigation continued, and on April 14, 2025, authorities arrested Jayzeir’s older brother, 21-year-old Willie Demarr Gaddy Jr., in connection with the shooting. A Lorain County grand jury later indicted Willie Gaddy Jr. on eight felonies, including one count of aggravated murder, five counts of murder, and two counts of felonious assault for the deaths of both his brother and Larry Moore Jr.
A jury trial began on April 27, 2026, in the Lorain County Court of Common Pleas before Judge Donna Freeman. During the trial, prosecutors presented evidence that Jayzeir Gaddy had shot and wounded Larry Moore Jr. during a confrontation, after which Willie Gaddy Jr. allegedly shot Moore again, killing him. Testimony indicated that Jayzeir was killed by a shot to the head from an unidentified gunman. The defense attorney for Willie Gaddy Jr. stated an intention to argue he acted in self-defense and in defense of his brother.
On May 5, 2026, Judge Freeman declared a mistrial. Prosecutors announced their intention to retry the case. As of May 2026, the case was awaiting a new trial. The Lorain Police Department has asked anyone with information to contact their Criminal Investigations Bureau at (440) 204-2105.
