MARTINEZ — Contra Costa prosecutors have charged a local resident who allegedly used a baseball bat to beat his ex-boyfriend to death, then called police to report he’d failed to recognize an “intruder” as his ex, court records show.
Kyle Daniels, 31, of Martinez, was charged with murder and a special allegation of using a deadly weapon in the March 15 killing of 40-year-old Dual Moore, of Oakland. The charges were filed in September, after a lengthy investigation that picked apart Daniels’ initial statement to police that he failed to recognize Moore, a man he’d dated, and believed to be defending himself against an intruder, according to court records.
After killing Moore, Daniels allegedly told police he was “swinging for the fences” with his baseball bat, according to court records.
The case centers on a Hale Court residence, where Daniels was living. He told police that he thought someone rang his doorbell around 2 a.m., but no one was there when he answered it. He went to sleep, but hear someone enter around 4:45 a.m., authorities said.
Daniels then claimed the intruder struck Moore with a selfie light, but that he lightly struck the person with a bat, believing the whole thing was a prank. When Moore hit him with the light a second time, he said he began swinging his bat aggressively, until Moore stopped moving, authorities said.
Moore was beaten extensively and pronounced dead later that morning. He reportedly suffered internal bleeding, multiple contusions and other blunt force trauma.
Authorities say Moore and Daniels had dated, and that Daniels told police that Moore had previously sought a restraining order against him.
Moore is being held without bail, and did not enter a plea at his first court appearance on Sept. 29, records show.