ABC News Reporter William J. Moran Murder Case - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Bluejay · 09-14-2004, 04:39 PM

Seen this?

Gravesite photos - William J. Moran IV

There is almost no information about this story on line. I have contacted the Lakeland, Florida newspaper to try to find out more about it through their archive department. If I have to I'll call ABC.

I swear I remember this story being reported on WLS at the time it happened, but I can't remember any details. It's possible he was tracking down a story on CIA involvement in drug smuggling; I know several reporters were killed trying to get that one.

I get the impression that no expense was spared. The IV after his name is another indication that this is a very well-off branch of the Moran family.

Maybe it just chilled me because I'm a journalist, but this is not something you see every day.

Damn it, if Stack hadn't died he'd be all over this one.

TimShepard · 11-07-2017, 08:35 PM

I was his best friend in High School, I was at his funeral. In fact we were supposed to have driven to the 1984 World's Fair in New Orleans the day he died. I had noticed this posting like 10 years ago and had assumed it was no longer active, but I was just noticing it allows replies, so if you wanna know anything about the circumstances of Willies' passing I can tell you.

Bluejay · 11-10-2017, 08:51 AM

Thank you, I'm very interested. I have always wondered about this beautiful gravesite. I've had people write to me with various speculations, but no one who knows what really happened.

Bluejay · 12-26-2017, 10:06 PM

Also, I found this:
The Rancher Bulletin, Winter 1984

William Jarrett Moran IV is listed as having had a memorial donation given in his name to the Florida Sheriffs' Youth Fund & Boys' Ranch by John Law Ayers, in their Winter 1984 bulletin. Maybe he was a volunteer worker at the camp or something. There's only one John Law Ayers and that is the unbelievably wealthy Brooksville mogul, rancher and Cracker horse breeder who served as FL State Representative and I forget what else. He died in 1985.

Bluejay · 10-29-2018, 02:07 AM

Update!
Willie attended Hernando High School, and there's a page for him at Classquest with his photo.
Here he is. This is the first time I have actually seen him.

steeev · 07-05-2019, 02:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TimShepard

I was his best friend in High School, I was at his funeral. In fact we were supposed to have driven to the 1984 World's Fair in New Orleans the day he died. I had noticed this posting like 10 years ago and had assumed it was no longer active, but I was just noticing it allows replies, so if you wanna know anything about the circumstances of Willies' passing I can tell you.

Hi Tim,
Did you answer bluejay privately? I was also trying to find out what happened to Willie Moran, and you seem to be the best chance. Can you update your thread?

Bluejay · 09-19-2020, 11:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TimShepard

Willie was a 19 year old who worked part time at the little AM Country Radio Station in Brooksville Fl....

My God. Thank you.

I want to put this on Findagrave, but I want to check with you first for permission, especially about Willie's mother/grandmother. I might want to paraphrase some of it, just say that his death was most likely an accident and his family could not accept that.

A few years ago, I had heard from someone who was looking into Willie's life and death also, who had found that he was from Brooksville and that his mother's name was Penelope (is that right?). Contacting someone at a high school site, this person received a reply that there had been a rumor that made it much more scandalous than it really was. Combined with your information that makes sense, people would think that, and it also creates another reason to have him buried out of town and the "MURDERED" inscription.

There is a Virginia L. Franks who was buried next to Willie's garden in 2010. There's a picture on Findagrave. Is that his mother/grandmother, or is that someone else? The inscription kind of sounds like the phrases Willie has.

Bluejay · 09-21-2020, 01:50 PM

It looks as if Tim has deleted his reply. I don't blame him. This must have been very painful for him to write. Briefly, Willie's death was an accident. His family had personal reasons for letting on that it was murder though it likely was not. Willie was raised by a grandmother who loved him dearly and who created the beautiful gravesite with its poetry. The "ABC News Reporter" part was true in that he worked for a Brooksville country music radio station that was an ABC affiliate and could often be heard reading the news.

09-14-2004, 04:39 PM	#1
Bluejay Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Sep 18, 2003 Location: California Posts: 137	ABC News Reporter William J. Moran Murder Case Seen this? Gravesite photos - William J. Moran IV There is almost no information about this story on line. I have contacted the Lakeland, Florida newspaper to try to find out more about it through their archive department. If I have to I'll call ABC. I swear I remember this story being reported on WLS at the time it happened, but I can't remember any details. It's possible he was tracking down a story on CIA involvement in drug smuggling; I know several reporters were killed trying to get that one. I get the impression that no expense was spared. The IV after his name is another indication that this is a very well-off branch of the Moran family. Maybe it just chilled me because I'm a journalist, but this is not something you see every day. Damn it, if Stack hadn't died he'd be all over this one.
	__________________ For every mystery there is someone, somewhere who knows the truth. Perhaps... it's you! Last edited by Bluejay; 01-07-2014 at 06:42 AM. Reason: Updated links to Find-a-grave, much more detailed & current

11-07-2017, 08:35 PM	#2
TimShepard Registered Join Date: Nov 07, 2017 Location: California Posts: 0	I could tell you anything you want to know about this I was his best friend in High School, I was at his funeral. In fact we were supposed to have driven to the 1984 World's Fair in New Orleans the day he died. I had noticed this posting like 10 years ago and had assumed it was no longer active, but I was just noticing it allows replies, so if you wanna know anything about the circumstances of Willies' passing I can tell you.

11-10-2017, 08:51 AM	#3
Bluejay Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Sep 18, 2003 Location: California Posts: 137	Thank you, I'm very interested. I have always wondered about this beautiful gravesite. I've had people write to me with various speculations, but no one who knows what really happened.

12-26-2017, 10:06 PM	#4
Bluejay Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Sep 18, 2003 Location: California Posts: 137	Also, I found this: The Rancher Bulletin, Winter 1984 William Jarrett Moran IV is listed as having had a memorial donation given in his name to the Florida Sheriffs' Youth Fund & Boys' Ranch by John Law Ayers, in their Winter 1984 bulletin. Maybe he was a volunteer worker at the camp or something. There's only one John Law Ayers and that is the unbelievably wealthy Brooksville mogul, rancher and Cracker horse breeder who served as FL State Representative and I forget what else. He died in 1985.

10-29-2018, 02:07 AM	#5
Bluejay Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Sep 18, 2003 Location: California Posts: 137	Update! Willie attended Hernando High School, and there's a page for him at Classquest with his photo. Here he is. This is the first time I have actually seen him.

09-21-2020, 01:50 PM	#8
Bluejay Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Sep 18, 2003 Location: California Posts: 137	It looks as if Tim has deleted his reply. I don't blame him. This must have been very painful for him to write. Briefly, Willie's death was an accident. His family had personal reasons for letting on that it was murder though it likely was not. Willie was raised by a grandmother who loved him dearly and who created the beautiful gravesite with its poetry. The "ABC News Reporter" part was true in that he worked for a Brooksville country music radio station that was an ABC affiliate and could often be heard reading the news.