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Police seek person of interest in Atlanta man’s murder

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Deundray Cottrell was a source of pride for his siblings. Then, Thursday night, the marketing PhD student disappeared after the Fourth of July fireworks at his sister Angelica’s home. His friend Julian Morris told the family that Cottrell simply ran away. “The whole time we were looking, he was at my mom’s house, like my house, talking to my mom, trying to explain to me,” Angelica Cottrell said. Cottrell said they searched for her brother all night, using doorbell camera footage to track his whereabouts. Then, she remembers Morris telling her on the phone that he had put her brother in a house. “I was like, hey, he’s in a house like he’s in a house. The guy just calmly, coolly and collectedly told me that he was in a house. We need to go look in houses,” Cottrell said. >> FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Eventually, Cottrell’s shoe was found behind that shed two blocks away, where detectives discovered his body inside Saturday. Tim Cottrell had to identify his older brother to police at the scene. “I took that challenge, knowing that my sister and my mom probably couldn’t accept it. And I’m OK with that,” Cottrell said. Police named Morris a person of interest in Cottrell’s murder. “It’s hurtful too, because, like, my mom was there looking her son’s killer in the eye,” Cottrell said. >> WVTM 13 ON-THE-GO: Download our free app Morris has not been charged in the case, but Angelica and Tim are hopeful their family will get justice and their brother’s legacy of love will live on. “I hope no one who has ever experienced the love that ‘D’ generated will ever forget it,” said Angelica Cottrell. Crime Stoppers is offering $5,000 for information leading to Morris’ arrest.

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama —

Deundray Cottrell was a source of pride to his brother and sister.

Then, on Thursday night, the marketing PhD student disappeared after the July 4 fireworks display at his sister Angelica’s home.

His friend Julian Morris told the family that Cottrell had simply run away.

“The whole time we were looking, he was at my mom’s house, in my house, talking to my mom, trying to explain himself,” Cottrell said.

Cottrell said they searched for his brother all night, using doorbell camera video to track his whereabouts.

Then she remembers Morris telling her on the phone that he had placed her brother in a home.

“I was like, hey, he’s in a house like he’s in a house. The guy calmly, cool and collected told me he was in a house. We need to go look at houses,” Cottrell said.

>> FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Youtube

Eventually, Cottrell’s shoe was found behind that shed, two blocks away, where detectives discovered her body inside Saturday.

Tim Cottrell had to identify his older brother to the police at the scene.

“I took on this challenge knowing that my sister and my mother probably wouldn’t be able to accept it. And I have no problem with that,” Cottrell said.

Police have named Morris as a person of interest in Cottrell’s murder.

“It’s hurtful too, because my mother was there, looking her son’s killer in the eye,” Tim Cottrell said.

>> WVTM 13 ON MOBILITY: Download our app for free

Morris has not been charged in the case, but Angelica and Tim hope their family will find justice and their brother’s legacy of love will live on.

“My hope is that no one who has ever known the love that ‘D’ generated will ever forget it,” Cottrell said.

Crime Stoppers is offering $5,000 for information leading to Morris’ arrest.

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