19-year-old accused of killing 3 in Pine Hills shooting spree appears in court

Keith Moses faces death penalty in February shootings

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – A 19-year-old man accused of killing three people and injuring two others in a shooting spree in Pine Hills earlier this year appeared in court Friday for a pre-trial hearing.

Keith Moses was arrested in February in the fatal shootings of Nathacha Augustin, 38; T’yonna Major, 9; and TV reporter Dylan Lyons, 24. He is also accused of shooting Brandi Major, the girl’s mother, and 29-year-old Jesse Walden, a Spectrum News 13 photographer.

A grand jury in March formally charged Moses on 16 charges, including first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder and armed burglary. Orange-Osceola State Attorney Monique Worrell announced earlier this month that her office would seek the death penalty against Moses.

During Friday’s hearing, the judge a trial date was tentatively set for July 24.

The Orange County Sheriff’s Office said Moses shot and killed Augustin along Hialeah Street on Feb. 22 and returned to the area several hours later, opening fire once again on four other people.

According to the arrest warrant affidavit, Moses went into a home near the area of the initial shooting and fatally shot T’yonna Major and injured her mother. He then shot and killed Lyons and wounded Walden, according to deputies.

A timeline in the affidavit shows Moses entered a home on Harrington Drive through an unlocked back door around 3:53 p.m. and shot T’yonna Major. The girl’s mother, Brandi Major, who was taking a nap, said she woke up to her daughter yelling, “He shot me,” as she ran into the bedroom, according to the affidavit.

Minutes later, the affidavit said he shot Lyons, who was in the passenger seat of a News 13 vehicle while Walden was getting camera equipment out of the trunk to set up for a live report. Walden told deputies he saw Moses approaching the back of the vehicle and opening fire, the affidavit said.

Walden fell to the ground and said Moses continued shooting at him before he started shooting at the vehicle, where Lyons was seated, according to the affidavit. Investigators said there were several bullet holes in the vehicle, including one through the driver’s window.

A status hearing was set for June 9 at 1:30 p.m.


Get today’s headlines in minutes with Your Florida Daily:


About the Author

Brenda Argueta is a digital journalist who joined ClickOrlando.com in March 2021. She is the author of the Central Florida Happenings newsletter that goes out every Thursday.