Unsolved Homicide

Karen Tipton

Karen Tipton was sexually assaulted and fatally stabbed in her Decatur home in 1999. Daniel Wade Moore was convicted in an initial trial, but that verdict was set aside. A second trial ended in a mistrial, and a jury acquitted him on all counts in 2009. The supplied source does not establish the investigation’s present status.

Incident date: March 12, 1999
Location: Decatur, Morgan County
Independent sources: 1

The record

Karen Tipton, 39, was found dead in her Decatur home on March 12, 1999. Evidence presented in court showed that the mother of two had been sexually assaulted and stabbed more than two dozen times during a struggle. Her husband told the court that he contacted police after returning home and finding her dead [1].

Prosecution and trials

Daniel Wade Moore was tried three times on capital murder charges in Tipton’s killing. A jury convicted him in 2002, and he was sentenced to death. The trial judge later set aside that verdict because prosecutors had failed to disclose an FBI report [1].

A second trial ended in a mistrial in 2008 after jurors deadlocked 8 to 4 in favor of acquittal. On May 15, 2009, a Morgan County jury acquitted Moore on all counts after seven days of deliberations. He had faced a possible death sentence if convicted [1].

Authorities testified that DNA recovered from a bedroom matched the profile of hair samples taken from Moore. The defense challenged the evidence collection and noted that Moore had previously entered the home while installing an alarm for a security company. Prosecutors also argued that Moore bought drugs shortly after the killing [1].

No supplied official record or later report establishes the investigation’s current status or identifies any subsequent prosecution.

Timeline

March 12, 1999Reported
Karen Tipton was found dead in her Decatur home after being sexually assaulted and stabbed more than two dozen times.
2002Reported
Daniel Wade Moore was convicted and sentenced to death. The judge later set aside the verdict because prosecutors had not disclosed an FBI report.
2008Reported
Moore’s second trial ended in a mistrial after jurors deadlocked 8 to 4 for acquittal.
May 15, 2009Reported
A Morgan County jury acquitted Moore on all counts after seven days of deliberations.

Documented claims

Karen Tipton, 39, was killed in her Decatur home on March 12, 1999.
Reported
Source: AL.com / The Associated Press · Single-source claim.
Court evidence showed that Tipton, a mother of two, was sexually assaulted and stabbed more than two dozen times during a struggle.
Reported
Source: AL.com / The Associated Press · Single-source claim.
Tipton’s husband testified that he called police after returning home and finding her dead.
Reported
Source: AL.com / The Associated Press · Single-source claim.
Daniel Wade Moore faced three capital murder trials in Tipton’s killing.
Reported
Source: AL.com / The Associated Press · Single-source claim.
Moore was convicted and sentenced to death in 2002, but the judge later set aside the verdict because prosecutors had not disclosed an FBI report.
Reported
Source: AL.com / The Associated Press · Single-source claim.
Moore’s second trial ended in a 2008 mistrial after the jury deadlocked 8 to 4 for acquittal.
Reported
Source: AL.com / The Associated Press · Single-source claim.
A Morgan County jury acquitted Moore on all counts on May 15, 2009, after seven days of deliberations.
Reported
Source: AL.com / The Associated Press · Single-source claim.
Authorities testified that DNA recovered from a bedroom matched the profile of hair samples taken from Moore.
Reported
Source: AL.com / The Associated Press · Single-source claim.
The defense challenged the collection of evidence and said Moore had previously been inside the home to install an alarm while employed by a security company.
Reported
Source: AL.com / The Associated Press · Single-source claim.
Prosecutors argued that Moore bought drugs shortly after Tipton’s killing.
Reported
Source: AL.com / The Associated Press · Single-source claim.
The investigation’s current status and whether any later prosecution occurred are not established by the supplied source.
Unknown
Source on file · Single-source claim.

Sources

Jury clears man on trial for third time on all counts in Decatur slaying — AL.com / The Associated PressOpen