Man charged with murder in death of Rochester teen

Rochester Police announced the arrest of a suspect in the killing of missing teen Jakarah Lopez-Moore, a 27-year-old man named Reign Tapiato. He was armed when arrested, police said.

The last day Jakarah’s family saw the 16-year-old alive was Aug. 27. She told her grandmother she would be right back, then walked out of their house on Weld Street. Her body was found six weeks later in the woods behind an industrial complex.

The criminal complaint alleges that Tapiato took Jakarah into a wooded area near 1850 Lyell Ave. on Aug. 27, and shot her in the head.

When her body was found on Oct. 14, police reported that she was found in the woods off of 5 Vanguard Parkway, which is a two-minute drive or 15-minute walk from 1850 Lyell Ave., according to Google Maps. It is unclear, as of now, whether police believe she was killed in the same location where her body was found or if she was taken to a second location after her death.

Chief Deputy Keith Stith said the Marshal's Task Force located Tapiato on State Street on Friday morning and took him into custody. He was in possession of a 9mm Glock handgun with 15 rounds at the time of his arrest, Stith said.

"This was a team effort," Chief Deputy Stith said. "Starting with the initial officer that began the preliminary investigation, all the way up to the investigator in the Major Crimes Unit that ultimately brought closure to not only this grieving family, but to our entire community."

Tapiato was charged with murder in the second degree and with criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree. He has been transported to Monroe County Jail and is expected to be arraigned tomorrow morning in Rochester City Court.

Social media shows that Tapiato had worked as a security guard. Police confirmed that fact. A LinkedIn page said he'd worked at Securitas Security Services USA, which has a Rochester office.

Captain Greg Bello said Jakarah and Tapiato were acquaintances and that this was not a random act of violence, but they could not give details on the specifics of their relationship at this time.

Jakarah Lopez-Moore case: Another victim on Weld Street

Another Rochester teen, Chance Mosley, was shot and killed in November 2022 on Weld Street. The upcoming trial in his death, almost a year later, shines a light on a possible connection or just a terrible coincidence between his shooting and the recent disappearance and death of Jakarah Lopez-Moore.

Are their cases related? Was her murder connected?

At this time, the police are saying they don't have any indication of a tie between the two.

"That (Mosley) murder case is currently pending trial," Capt. Greg Bello said via email. "I'm not in a position to disclose any information regarding possible witnesses. Any inquires regarding that case must go through the Monroe County's District Attorneys Office."

Who was shot in Rochester on Weld Street?

On Nov. 1, 2022, 17-year-old Chance Mosley was shot and killed at a Weld Street house, according to RPD's open data portal. Mosley was reported to have been found on the porch of the Weld Street house and was pronounced dead at the scene.

That's the same neighborhood house Jakarah Lopez-Moore went missing from almost a year after Mosley's killing. She was missing for weeks. Her body was later found in a wooded area miles away, behind an industrial complex, on Oct. 14, 2023.

Who is on trial for killing Chance Mosley?

Raymar Alexander, 18, was arrested and charged with the shooting of Chance Mosley. He is awaiting trial.

According to the felony indictment, Alexander is charged with second-degree murder and second-degree criminal possession of a weapon. He is accused of shooting Mosley multiple times in the upper torso and legs with a 9 mm handgun.

The Rochester Police Department said Alexander accidentally shot himself in the arm during the encounter and that he was treated for his injuries at Rochester General Hospital.

The indictment alleges that civilian witnesses identified Alexander as the shooter, though these witnesses were not named. Alexander's trial was set for Nov. 17, but was postponed.

Watch the funeral services for Chance: Antioch Church service for Mosley

How is this case connected to Jakarah Lopez-Moore?

A Facebook post uploaded by a family member of Mosley first drew attention to the connection in Jakarah's case, but there's not a lot of information that has been made known to the public. The D&C chased down public records that confirmed the location connection, which has not been published in the media previously.

At this time, police do not believe there are any connections in these cases beyond the connection. Connection or not, the deaths of these two teens raise questions and concerns about the safety of children and teens in our community.

— Madison Scott is a recent college graduate who is an intern with the Democrat and Chronicle. She has an interest in how the system helps or doesn't help families with missing loved ones. She can be reached at MDScott@gannett.com. Tell her if you have a good history book recommendation, especially about the Rochester region.

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Reign Tapiato charged in death of Jakarah Lopez-Moore in Rochester NY