Atlanta’s Deundray Cottrell Found Dead in Birmingham – Case Update

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama — There are more questions than answers about what happened to a 31-year-old Atlanta man after he was found dead in a shed following his disappearance in Birmingham, Alabama.

Deundray Cottrell, who had lived in Atlanta for about a decade, had strong ties to Alabama. He graduated from Woodlawn High School in Birmingham in 2011 and Jacksonville State University in 2012. His sister, Angelica Cottrell, described her brother as a dancer, bartender, masseuse and a student working on his doctorate.

“He wasn’t afraid to work,” she said. She always believed he was destined for great things. “At a very young age, my brother’s personality was just too strong for Birmingham,” Angelica said.

Angelica and her family are now searching for answers about her mysterious disappearance and death. Deundray arrived at his sister’s home in Birmingham on July 4 with his partner, Julian Morris, at around 6pm.

“It’s interesting because Deundray normally has such a busy schedule that it’s not normal for us to see him on the Fourth of July,” Angelica explained.

But this vacation was different. She noted that it was unusual for Deundray to come without her other partner, DeEric. Deundray was a dancer and the CEO of Skiiboyz Entertainment, an Atlanta-based male trio dance group that included Julian and DeEric.

“DeEric was with my brother for over 14 years,” Angelica said, noting that Julian had only been around the family since around 2020.

Despite the strangeness of the situation, Angelica said they had a good time, and Deundray assured her that everything was fine between the trio.

“It was about nine o’clock when the kids went out to set off fireworks, and that’s when D (Deundray) decided to go and see their dog,” she said, adding that it was the last time she saw her brother alive.

An hour later, Angelica said Julian came out calmly and said Deundray had jumped out the window. The family immediately went looking for him, but Julian stayed behind, eating barbecue.

“He was way too relaxed,” Angelica said.

Birmingham police responded to the incident around 11pm on 4 July and the following day officers found a piece of Deundray’s clothing near where he had disappeared. Surveillance footage from a neighbour’s home showed Deundray in distress.

On July 6, police found Deundray’s body in an abandoned shed about a block from where he disappeared. The Jefferson County Medical Examiner’s Office ruled his death a homicide.

Police named Julian Morris as a person of interest but did not identify him as a suspect. Despite online reports, Birmingham police said Julian had not contacted their homicide unit.

“We need to talk to him as soon as possible,” police said at a news conference.

Angelica said she last saw Julian after asking him to leave her house following Deundray’s disappearance.

“He was faking it,” she said. “Everyone was looking, he was eating, he had no sense of urgency.”

Angelica said she offered to let him stay at their mother’s house, just across the street. A few hours later, Julian woke them up and tried to get back in. She said they called the police and gave him a trespassing notice.

She said that until his body was found, Julian called his brother’s phone.

“Like non-stop calls, all day long. He was calling, he was texting, he was texting music. Just the craziest thing,” she said.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Birmingham Police Department’s Homicide Unit at 205-254-1764 or Crime Stoppers at 205-254-7777.

“I thank Atlanta for welcoming him, for giving him his wings, for allowing him to have experiences that he probably would never have had,” Angelica said. “My whole family is so grateful to everyone who loved him, hugged him, encouraged him, motivated him. We are incredibly grateful to everyone.”