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'I as a vet will kill u': Man bombards neighbor with threatening texts for hours, deputies say

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — People in an Azalea Park neighborhood call one man “the neighbor from hell.”

James Moore, 65, was arrested after he allegedly sent text messages threatening to kill his next-door neighbors.

Those neighbors said they’ve had issues with him dating back more than a decade, but it really escalated this week, when police said he sent a string of threatening text messages for seven hours as he yelled in his house all day.

“I heard a lot of arguing throughout the day,” said neighbor Roy Gangle.

Police said Moore’s text messages were directed at the 27-year-old woman next door and included the following messages:

  • 10:06 a.m.: "I watched your (expletive) when you were six years old catchy [sic] the bus to go to school. Get your (expletive) over here now!"
  • 11:54 a.m.: "I as a vet will kill u."
  • 4:30 p.m.: "You have five minutes leter to come outside. I will kill everyone in your home."

Orange County deputies said that, while they were standing on the other side of the fence trying to talk to Moore, he called them names and said, “Jump your (expletive) over here and I’ll beat your (expletive).”

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Channel 9 spoke to several other neighbors who were afraid to go on camera out of fear Moore could bond out of jail.  One neighbor said Moore had threatened him in the past, too.

Moore was previously arrested and convicted for carrying a concealed weapon. He was also arrested for stalking and aggravated assault many years ago but the charges were dropped.

Jeff Deal

Jeff Deal, WFTV.com

I joined the Eyewitness News team as a reporter in 2006.