The Fourth of July celebration for the family of Deundray Cottrell was spoiled when he mysteriously went missing from the gathering. Two days later, he was found dead. Now, police are looking at the person who last saw Cottrell, his boyfriend.
The 31-year-old doctoral student was last seen at a residence in Birmingham, Ala. Cottrell along with his boyfriend Julian Taylor Morris, also 31, had traveled from Atlanta to visit family in Alabama for July 4th.
Authorities from the city police department say they were dispatched to the home after family said Cottrell was missing.
The following day, officers launched a search with the Special Victims Unit and scoured the area where Cottrell was last seen. Officers recovered a few clothing items belonging to Cottrell in the area. A community member then provided the police a surveillance video where Cottrell was seen walking in the area.
On day two of searching for him, Cottrell was found dead just a few blocks from the residence where he was last seen. The Jefferson County Coroner’s Office determined his death to be a homicide. Now, the cops are on the hunt for the person they believe was the last one to lay eyes on Cottrell: Morris.
Cottrell’s sister, Angelica, told AL.com her brother came to the function with Morris who later told the family he last saw Cottrell running through the backyard leaving behind his shoes and cellphone.
Read what else Angelica Cottrell told WSBTV:
She said Morris was the one who alerted her that her brother disappeared saying he jumped off her patio balcony.
“He told us that when he jumped, he bounced...got up and jumped the fence and took off running,” she said.
She added that his initial reaction and behavior were bizarre.
“While we looked – Julian didn’t,” she said. “At one point when everybody was searching, Julian had fixed a plate and was sitting there eating, and he looked at me and said omg the food is so good.”
Fearing Morris knew more than what he was letting on, Angelica said she told him to leave and find somewhere else to stay.
“Julian knows everything and he made a point to keep reminding me throughout his rants that he was a marine,” she said.
Morris is described as a Black male, 5’6 in height and 160 pounds. CrimeStoppers are offering $5,000 for any tips on where he was last seen.
Anyone with any information on Morris is encouraged to contact Birmingham Police at 205-254-1764 or CrimeStoppers at 205-254-7777.