Nashville police arrest suspect in shooting deaths of 2 Alabaster teens
A suspect is in custody in the shooting deaths of two Alabama teens found slain in Nashville woods two months ago.
Josue Hernandez-Moxje, 23, is charged with two counts of criminal homicide in the April 28 slayings of Amir Landan Wilkerson, 19, and Jamie Valdez-Garcia, 18.
Both victims lived in Alabaster.
The victims were found just before 2 p.m. that Monday in a wooded area of Army Corps of Engineers property between Lincoya Bay Apartments and Percy Priest Lake.
The discovery was made by a resident walking on a wooded trail, police said. Both had been shot multiple times.
Police have said the teens are believed to have traveled from Alabaster to Nashville on Sunday, which is when their families last reported seeing them.
Jamie Valdez-Garcia was one of two Alabaster teens found shot to death April 28, 2025, in Nashville woods.(Contributed)
The Metropolitan Nashville Police Department announced Hernadez-Moxie’s arrest Tuesday night. A motive has not been disclosed.
According to WSMV4 television, Nashville detectives, along with ATF and Homeland Security agents, identified Hernadez-Moxje as a suspect and entered his license plate into a national law enforcement database.
Investigators then got a hit from a license plate reader in Louisiana.
He was arrested by police in Louisiana on June 6 and held on unrelated warrants for domestic violence, theft and bad checks. He was returned to Nashville Tuesday night, police said.
Wilkerson was a 2024 graduate of Thompson High School and worked as a welder at Cooper Steel.
Amir Landan Wilkerson was one of two Alabaster teens found shot to death April 28, 2025, in Nashville woods.(Contributed)
“Amir had a deep love for art and spent many hours drawing — expressing his creativity with talent and imagination,” according to his obituary. “He also loved the game of basketball and was known for his smooth 3-point shot, which he rarely missed.”
“He enjoyed spending time with his family and cousins, especially at events and on family vacations,” the obituary read. “He was a happy soul — always laughing, joking, and lighting up every room he entered. He loved being the center of attention and brought joy to everyone around him.”
Anyone with additional is asked to contact Crime Stoppers at 615-742-7463. A cash reward of up to $5,000 is offered.