PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — The last of 3 men accused of killing a Portland musician in the parking lot of Cinco de Mayo in 2016 pleaded guilty to manslaughter on Tuesday, the Multnomah County DA’s Office said.
Charles Moi Moi also pleaded no contest to robbery and compelling prostitution. He was sentenced to 400 months — 33.3 years — in prison.
The case
On February 5, 2016, Moi Moi drove down to Portland from Seattle with Rony Celis and Clayton Harrell. Around 1 p.m., they robbed a person of 2 gold chains. About 90 minutes later, they robbed Ravell Sterling in the Cinco de Mayo parking lot and shot him multiple times.
Previous KOIN coverage of Ravell Sterling killing
They took off in Celis’ car but were caught after a high-speed chase in Cowlitz County.
Celis pleaded guilty to manslaugher on July 27, 2019. Harrell pleaded guilty to manslaughter and attempted robbery on May 6, 2021 and will be sentenced June 17. Celis will be sentenced August 31.
‘Talented musician’ apparently randomly killed
Ravell Deshawn Sterling’s family remembers him as a talented musician. He was gunned down in what appears to be a random killing, his father and police said at the time of the killing.
“He was just a kid trying to find his way and make an honest living and get himself on track, on the right path,” Morris Sterling said.
The 23-year-old lived in Gresham with Jailyn Brown, his girlfriend of 5 years. He told Brown he was making a quick trip to a nearby store when he left her that day. But he never made it home.
Sterling was shot and killed as he walked to the store in broad daylight.
“He doesn’t know them,” Brown said at that time. “He was just supposed to walk to the store and come right back. These are strangers, he does not know these people.”