“Today’s verdict is believed to be the first instance where this Office has used the federal fraud laws to convict a murderer," said U.S. Attorney Hochul. “This Office will continue to use all of the resources at our disposal to rid our streets of dangerous predators."
Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa M. Marangola, who is handling the case, stated that the defendant was accused of murdering his fiancée, Angela Moss, on Aug. 27, 2009 in order to collect on the victim=s life insurance policy which listed Epps as the sole beneficiary. Ronald Epps and Angela Moss were engaged to be married and lived together on Cascade Drive in the Town of Amherst. Previously, on July 2, 2009, Epps and Moss went to a State Farm Insurance branch to make changes to Moss= life insurance policy. At the time, Epps was a minor beneficiary. The $100,000 policy was changed, making the defendant the sole beneficiary.
On Aug. 27, 2009, Moss left her place of employment at Absolut Care on Armor Road in Orchard Park at 11:00 p.m. The victim was last seen getting into the passenger seat of her car. Moss= body was discovered at 6:00 a.m. the following morning on California Road by colleagues heading into work. The prosecution argued that the defendant waited in the victim=s car then drove to California Road where Epps shot Moss once in the back of her head and left her body on the side of the road. The victim=s car was also found abandoned nearby.
On Sept. 1, 2009, Epps filed a claim with State Farm Insurance, attempting to collect on Moss=s life insurance policy. To date, the defendant has not received any insurance money related to the policy on the late Ms. Moss.
Following Moss=s murder, the defendant remained in the apartment the two had lived in together. On Aug. 1, 2010, Epps obtained a renter=s insurance policy from State Farm Insurance. The jury found that on Oct. 13, 2010, Epps set fire to the vacant apartment next door with Molotov Cocktails. On this occasion, the damage to the defendant=s apartment was minimal. On Oct. 15, the defendant also fire to his own apartment. On May 31, 2011, Epps received $3,769 from State Farm Insurance for damages to his property.
The jury also found the defendant guilty of using his apartment for distributing cocaine. Several witnesses testified that they purchased cocaine and marijuana from the defendant at 21 Cascade Drive. Amherst police officers testified that they seized cocaine, pills, and drug paraphernalia from the defendant’s residence on Aug. 25, 2010.
The case was the culmination of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, under the direction of Resident Agent in Charge Steven Dickey, the Orchard Park Police Department, under the direction of Chief Michael Pacholec, and the Amherst Police Department, under the direction of Chief John Askey.
Sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 10, 2015, at 12:30 p.m. before Judge Richard J. Arcara.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
