Man indicted in 2009 cold case murder

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (WIVB) - An Amherst man has been indicted by a grand jury on charges that he's behind the 2009 murder of 39-year-old Angela Moss.

Moss's case has been unsolved, but now the U.S. Attorney's Office alleges that 44-year-old Ronald Epps murdered Moss, his fiancee, to collect her life insurance policy, which listed Epps as the sole beneficiary.

Prosecutors say on July 2, 2009, less than two months before he allegedly murdered her, Epps had Moss change her life insurance policy at State Farm Insurance in Amherst, making him the sole beneficiary of $100,000. Moss was last seen alive leaving work around 11 p.m. on August 27, 2009 from Absolut Care on Armor Road in Orchard Park. Her body was found around 6 a.m. the next morning along California Road by her co-workers as they headed to work.

Just three days after that, Moss tried to claim the life insurance policy. He never received the funds.

About a year later, on August 1, 2010, federal authorities say Epps obtained a renter's insurance policy through State Farm. On October 13, 2010, prosecutors say Epps set fire to a neighboring vacant apartment with Molotov cocktails. Damage to his apartment was minimal, and on October 15, 2010, prosecutors say Epps set fire to his own apartment.

In this instance, State Farms paid Epps $3,769 for damage done to his apartment.

Epps is already currently under federal indictment for a gun charge involving a weapon discovered by police in his home the day Moss's body was discovered.

Now, Epps has been indicted on wire fraud, mail fraud, arson and possession of Molotov cocktails. If convicted, Epps will face a mandatory minimum penalty of 30 years in prison and could face a maximum of life behind bars.

There are no federal charges for murder under which Epps could have been charged. Orchard Park Police are still working on filing murder charges against Epps. Authorities say they are reviewing evidence.