Two new billboards now loom over Gaston County after going up on Monday, July 13, advertising a $35,000 reward for information in the 2021 killing of Gastonia barber John Luke Moore. Moore, 32 when he was killed, was shot during what police have described as a home invasion, and his family says the fresh roadside push is about keeping the case in public view as the community moves through yet another summer without answers.
Billboards aim to keep Moore's case visible
The boards were paid for by Moore's family in partnership with nonprofit Season of Justice and Adams Outdoor Advertising, and will be displayed through Aug. 23. They were placed off East Gaston Avenue near Main Street and at Union Road off East Garrison Boulevard, urging anyone with information to call Crime Stoppers at 704-861-8000, as reported by WBTV.
Surveillance footage, earlier rewards and the investigation
Police released surveillance footage in July 2025 that appears to show three masked people armed with guns forcing their way into Moore’s back door, then running off two minutes later. The trio has not been identified, according to WSOC.
The state added $25,000 to the reward in December 2025, Gov. Josh Stein announced in a press release, and authorities continue to say that tips from the public are the best lead they have to solving the case (Office of the Governor).
Who helped pay for the boards
Season of Justice says on its website that it funds public awareness campaigns, often including billboards, to help families and investigators push cold cases back into public view. Adams Outdoor, which operates billboards across the Charlotte region, handled the placements.
Moore’s brother Stephan has framed the effort as a hunt for information rather than a price tag on a life, telling reporters earlier this year that the money is “not a value on my brother’s life, it’s a value on knowledge,” as previously reported by WBTV.
This is not the family’s first billboard push. Crews put up an earlier ad in August 2024 on Franklin Boulevard, WCCB reported, and family members have held press conferences and vigils in their ongoing effort to keep Moore’s story in front of the public (WCCB).
Investigators say that details such as clothing, gait, vehicles or other small clues captured on the video could help identify the people shown. Tips can be left anonymously with Crime Stoppers of Gaston County at 704-861-8000. The case remains open, and anyone with useful information is urged to contact local authorities or the listed tip line.
