Castor River claims life of local man

According to Bollinger County Sheriff Leo McElrath, Moore and his young family, along with his brother Randall Moore and his family, were enjoying a family swimming day at the Sweet Gum Recreational Area near Zalma when at around 4 p.m. a young daughter of Randall Moore became a victim of the river's current. She was reportedly pulled under and was struggling for air. Her father reportedly dove into the river to save his daughter and was also taken in by the current. It was at that time, police say, that Ricky Moore rushed to the aid of both his brother and his niece and pulled them up to safety. Moore, however, was then caught in the current himself and in spite of the efforts of two men witnessing the situation, he could not be saved.

"The current was just too strong," said the sheriff, and the swimmers were just not strong enough to save everybody."

According to Sgt. Jeff Woodard of the Bollinger County Sheriff's Dept., Moore's body was recovered at 6:25 p.m. by members of Zalma's Fire Department in the same area where he had last been seen. On the scene following the drowning accident were the sheriff, members of Zalma's Fire Dept., a member of the Missouri Conservation Dept. and a water patrolman.

Moore is a graduate of Bloomfield High School and was employed with Gibbs Corporation at Bloomfield at the time of his death. He leaves a wife, Amanda Fleming Moore, and four children ranging from eight months to four years of age. A complete obituary appears on page five of today's Daily Statesman.