PIERCE COUNTY, Wash. — The man who was found guilty of fatally shooting his child’s mother in December of 2023 was sentenced to 50 years in prison Friday afternoon.
Duane Dushon Moore was charged with first-degree murder after he shot his child’s mother, Kayla Vallee, 40, multiple times while she was picking up their 10-year-old son.
The Pierce County judge overseeing the case granted the motion for Moore to wave his right to be present in court during Friday’s sentencing. Kayla’s family said that decision was for the best.
“I actually didn’t want him to know how he’s affected my life because I believe he would take pleasure in it cause of the way he is,” said Christine Kingsbury, Vallee’s mother.
Vallee’s family said her death likely happened as her 10-year-old son was asleep in that same apartment, and the boy was unhurt. Family members also claimed Vallee was emotionally abused by Moore for years.
“He broke her down, he got her to do something that she would have never done and that was walk into that apartment that day alone,” said Thomas Proulx, Kayla’s stepfather outside the courtroom.
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“I begged her. I said, ‘Kayla, please don’t go into that apartment alone.’ And she said, ‘Mom, this might be my last chance to get my son back,'” said Kingsbury. “Maybe she should’ve been more nervous, but she was blinded by her love for her son.”
It would be the last time Vallee’s family ever saw her alive.
Hours later, they said they watched in horror as Vallee’s ex-boyfriend unexpectedly dropped his son off in their driveway with no sight of Vallee. They said the child’s father sped off and refused to take their calls regarding Vallee’s whereabouts.
During court, family and friends sharing how much they miss Kayla being around.
“She was an amazing mother who would have done anything for her kids, and unfortunately because of this coward that is why we are here today,” said Rick Buckles, Kayla’s best friend.
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Vallee’s family eventually requested a welfare check in Buckley because they could not reach her. Vallee’s car was eventually found in the parking lot of the apartment complex where her son’s father lived. After entering the complex, PCSD deputies said they found Vallee dead from multiple gunshot wounds.
While conducting the aforementioned welfare check, Pierce County deputies found Moore in Buckley, sitting in his car, refusing to come out, which resulted in a SWAT standoff. PCSD said the standoff ended when he was shot with a stun gun.
KOMO News learned that Vallee was in the process of filing a contempt of custody declaration against the Moore. According to Valle’s family, Moore often told her that nobody would care if she died.
Moore was then taken to the hospital for several days before being booked into the Pierce County jail Thursday afternoon.
