Springfield man tried as adult pleads guilty in 2014 murder

A Springfield man who was 16 when he took part in a murder pleaded guilty Tuesday to three felonies.

Kaleb Moore, 18, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, armed criminal action and first-degree burglary in connection with the February 2014 shooting death of Curtis Payne, 31.

As part of the plea agreement, Moore agreed to spend between 15 and 20 years in prison.

He will be sentenced at a hearing Oct. 28. Prosecutors will ask for 20 years, Moore's attorney will ask for 15 years, and a judge will decide.

Moore will have to serve at least 85 percent of his sentence before he is eligible for release.

Police say Moore and two others — Jeremiah Devaliti and Tyler Keithley — forced entry into a home at 2357 S. Dollison Ave. in Springfield on Feb. 11, 2014, with the intent to "beat up" Payne after one of their associates — Kearstain Sleeth — told the three that Payne had previously assaulted her.

Police say, according to interviews with the suspects, the three males confronted Payne in his bedroom and Keithley struck Payne with a .22-caliber gun resembling an assault rifle.

Documents say Moore, 16 years old at the time, fired first.

Moore shot Payne multiple times with a .380 handgun, according to the documents, and Devaliti shot Payne once with a shotgun.

Sleeth allegedly drove the three males to the home.

After the shooting, police say, the suspects dismantled the guns and buried them in a wooded area.

Moore was tried as an adult.

Devaliti pleaded guilty to murder in March, and he is scheduled to be sentenced next week.

Keithley and Sleeth have also been charged with murder. They are still awaiting trial.

Prosecutors say Moore did not agree to testify against any of his co-defendants.

Moore's attorney Kristin Jones said this is a "tragic case all the way around."

"My client is a young kid," Jones said. "He was hanging around with older people and got caught up in a bad situation."