The true story behind the Jerry Moore case on Killer Relationship with Faith Jenkins

Jerry Moore, a 46-year-old real estate investor and entrepreneur, was found stabbed 32 times in his home in Marietta, Georgia, on January 27, 2014. The attack, marked by signs of a fierce struggle and staged as a robbery, shocked those who knew him as a kind and smart individual.

What began as a promising collaboration with baker Ross Byrne over their co-owned bakery, Best Dang Bakery Around, unraveled into a murder-for-hire plot. Byrne, Jerry Moore's former roommate, allegedly hired ex-employee Johnathan Wheeler to kill Moore, allowing Byrne to seize full ownership without paying Moore's demanded $35,000 buyout.

This case of greed and hidden motives is explored in season 4 of Killer Relationship with Faith Jenkins episode 2, titled Risky Business, was aired on November 16, 2024, on Oxygen. Viewers can stream it on Peacock or watch reruns on Oxygen.

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Killer Relationship with Faith Jenkins: The unlikely partnership of Jerry Moore and Ross Byrne

Jerry Moore and Byrne were partners in a Bakery shop (Image via Unsplash/ @Andy Li)

Jerry Moore grew up in Orrville, Ohio, where he developed a reputation for being outgoing and intelligent. After high school, he worked in computers but sought bigger opportunities after coming out as gay in his mid-20s. He moved to Atlanta, known in his circle as the "gay Mecca of the East," and shifted to real estate.

Over the years, Moore renovated dozens of properties and bought a home in Marietta with separate living spaces for privacy. In 2006, he met Ross Byrne, a baker at a Woodstock shop. The two connected quickly over shared interests and lived together for seven years. Byrne convinced Jerry Moore to invest in the bakery where he worked, leading to the purchase of Best Dang Bakery Around.

Under a 50-50 partnership agreement, Moore handled finances while Byrne focused on baking. By late 2013, Byrne had moved to a townhouse near the bakery, changing their dynamic to mostly professional. Moore then decided to leave the partnership, requesting $35,000 for his share, a sum Byrne refused to pay.

The agreement included a clause: if one owner died, the survivor took full control. This detail later raised questions about motives, as per Oxygen.

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A bloody discovery of Jerry Moore

Jerry Moore's body was found inside his home (Image via Unsplash/ @ Daniel von Appen)

On a cold morning in January 2014, neighbor Pam Blair noticed Jerry Moore's front door ajar at his Marietta home on Gravewood Drive. Concerned, she entered and found blood smeared across floors and walls, with drawers pulled out and items scattered, suggesting a break-in.

In a panicked 911 call, Blair described the scene:

"There's blood, the house looks like it's been robbed. Oh my God, please hurry!"

Cobb County Police Detective Edward Stockinger arrived shortly after and spotted Moore face down in the living room, surrounded by a large pool of blood.

The 46-year-old had suffered 32 stab wounds to his neck, chest, arms, and back, including defensive marks from a desperate fight. Medical Examiner Investigator Tempie Hunton examined the body and estimated death hours before discovery. She observed the wounds showed "personal rage" with deep emotion behind each strike, as per Oxygen.

No forced entry was evident, pointing to an attacker Moore knew and let inside, possibly using a key. A novelty knife, etched "Redneck Toothpick," was the suspected weapon, though never recovered.

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Unraveling the plot

Jerry Moore was stabbed 32 times (Image via Unsplash/ @ Michael Förtsch)

Suspicion grew when Byrne skipped Moore's memorial despite their shared history. Stockinger noted it as odd for a seven-year roommate and partner. Phone records showed Byrne's frequent calls to Johnathan Wheeler, a 40-year-old former bakery worker with a violent past: a 10-year sentence for knife-point armed robbery at a Taco Bell, as per Oxygen.

Wheeler had called Jerry Moore the day of the murder and attended Byrne's recent housewarming nearby. Eight months later, Wheeler's half-brother reported a jailhouse confession: Wheeler admitted stabbing Moore at the bakery, with Byrne helping wash off blood afterward. Wheeler's girlfriend confirmed Byrne took stolen items from the scene and aided the cleanup, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Post-murder, the pair vacationed in Key West, and Byrne bought Wheeler a van for his work, seen as possible payment. Sgt. John Knoblach linked Wheeler's knife history to the crime, as per Oxygen. The motive was tied to finances: Moore's exit demand threatened Byrne, who gained everything via the death clause. While jailed later, Byrne tried to silence Wheeler by soliciting an inmate hit, adding charges.

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Justice served

Johnathan Wheeler received two life sentences in prison (Image via Unsplash/ @ Matthew Ansley)

Wheeler's 2018 trial in Cobb County Superior Court lasted days, with evidence like confessions, shoeprints, and his entry via key sealing his fate. Convicted on August 20 of malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, armed robbery, and burglary, the jury deliberated for under two hours. The next day, he received two consecutive life sentences without parole, according to Fox5 Atlanta.

Byrne's arrest followed soon after, charged with murder and racketeering for orchestrating the hit. Facing trial in 2022, he pleaded guilty on April 8 to RICO violations, conspiracy to conceal a death, hindering apprehension, and solicitation to murder, admitting his role and the plot against Wheeler, as per Cobb County Courier.

Judge Mary Staley Clark sentenced the 58-year-old to 20 years, as per ANF. Senior Assistant District Attorney Stephanie Green noted Byrne's lack of remorse, despite introducing Moore to his killer. The bakery, once thriving, closed amid the scandal. Moore's family, including Judy, grieved a vibrant life cut short, while friend Randy Doolittle reflected on the fatal trust.

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Watch Killer Relationship with Faith Jenkins season 4 episode 2, available on Oxygen and Peacock.

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