Murder Mystery: Help get justice for family of Daniel Mosley, 'gentle giant' gunned down by drive-by shooter

PIERCE COUNTY -- Chilling photos from an accident scene show the terrible wreckage of a car crash where a young man's body was found inside.

But, Pierce County detectives say it wasn't the crash that killed him -- it was a bullet to the head from a drive-by shooter.

A year later, the hunt is still on for the gunman.

“If you knew Daniel, you would know that he is on the shy side of shy. Very much the introvert. But also if you knew him, you knew what a tender heart he has,” those words from Cindy Mosely, the mother of Daniel Mosley of Tacoma.

He was 20 years old and the youngest of five children, known as the ‘gentle giant.’ “He was about 6’3, big boy and could be intimidating in size, but disposition, no, he was very tender hearted,” his mom adds.

But on the night of March 30th, 2015, Daniel was killed.



Pierce County Det. Ben Benson is the lead investigator and says, “Daniel had a prescription for medical marijuana, and he was at a dispensary over here and he made a purchase of marijuana, got into his car, and looks like he was coming back home.”

But according to witnesses, the car came up next to Daniel and they both started speeding. Benson explains, “The suspect car was in the on-coming lane of traffic. Shots were fired. Mr. Mosley suffered a gunshot wound to the head which killed him instantly.” Daniel’s car flipped several times before coming to rest at a berm just a couple of miles from his home. “We’ve got some information that doesn’t indicate it was road rage. It possibly was somebody that he knew,” Detective Benson explains.

There were a few people who saw the suspect’s car that night.

Benson recalls, “It was a white four-door sedan described as possibly an Acura.”

Daniel had no criminal record and had never been in trouble with the law. Police have no idea why he was killed. “Other than rumors that have not been verified, we have got nothing to go on at this point,” Benson adds. Daniel’s mother remembers the last time she saw her son, saying, “ “He was on his way out the door, and as he always did, he peeked his head in the room of whichever room I was and always say ‘goodbye, love you, see you later and it wasn’t any different that night when he left.” Now she wants to know why those words were his last to her. “There are those in this community that know the person that shot Daniel,” Mosely says. “And what I’d like to say to them is be brave, be courageous and be a voice.”

If you know anything about Daniel Mosley’s murder, or the shooter's white four-door car that they think is possibly an Acura call an anonymous tip into:
CRIME STOPPERS: 1-800-222-TIPS

You must call the Crime Stoppers hotline with your tip to be eligible to receive a cash reward for information leading to a fugitive’s arrest.