An 18-year-old defendant has pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the 2025 killing of James McClendon Jr. in Tampa, replacing the murder case prosecutors initially brought after McClendon was found dead.
Keshon Moore, who was 17 when police arrested him, entered the plea in Tampa, according to WTSP 10 Tampa Bay. Prosecutors dropped the initial murder charge as part of the agreement, the station reported.
McClendon, 34, was reported missing on Dec. 9, 2025, and officers later found his abandoned rental vehicle before discovering his body in an empty lot on Dec. 11. The City of Tampa said the medical examiner determined he died from a gunshot wound.
The arrest came less than two weeks after McClendon's body was discovered. At the time, the Tampa Bay Times reported that the 17-year-old suspect faced a murder charge in McClendon's death.
From East Tampa Discovery To Guilty Plea
The case first surfaced publicly when Tampa police said McClendon's body was found in the 2700 block of 18th Avenue E with upper-body trauma. Hoodline's earlier report detailed the department's request for tips while detectives worked to determine what happened.
What The Plea Changes
The plea removes the original murder count from the case, though the available report does not state what sentence Moore received or when sentencing will occur. Tampa police's initial release said the investigation was active and urged anyone with information about McClendon's death to contact detectives or Crime Stoppers, according to the City of Tampa.
