Left: Julian Taylor Morris (Miami-Dade Corrections). Right: Deundray Cottrell (Faith Memorial Chapel).
Authorities in Alabama arrested a 33-year-old man two years after he allegedly chased down his boyfriend and strangled him to death with an electrical cord and hid his body in a shed.
Julian Taylor Morris is facing a murder charge in the death of 31-year-old Deundray Cottrell in Birmingham.
The Birmingham Police Department said U.S. Marshals took Morris into custody on Monday in Miami when he was set to board a cruise. Cottrell, a dancer from Atlanta, was reported missing on July 4, 2024. Two days later, he was found dead in a shed.
Cottrell and Morris were in Birmingham for a July 4 celebration with friends. According to AL.com, family members said that Cottrell went to check on his dog about 9 p.m. It was the last time he was seen alive. Family found a shoe and his phone in the backyard but no sign of Cottrell.
They called police after they couldn't find him.
On July 6, 2024, Cottrell's body was found in a cluttered shed. An electrical cord was around his neck.
Family members told AL.com that Morris gave them varying accounts of what happened to Cottrell, and he has long been considered a suspect.
Cops say they obtained surveillance footage of Cottrell running through several backyards and jumping a fence at the time of his disappearance.
"This arrest, as well as the other arrest on cases from previous years, show how relentless our department is and how dedicated our officers are. We never stop working for justice," Chief Michael Pickett said in a statement. "We will continue to pursue those responsible for violent crimes, no matter where they may run. We will continue to seek justice for Deundray Cottrell and his family and remain committed to holding those responsible accountable."
Cottrell's family was elated to hear word of the arrest.
"I can't tell you the way I have screamed, the way we all have screamed," his sister Angelica Harris told AL.com.
Morris' attorney Victor Revill said in a statement to the outlet that his client is innocent and was with Cottrell's family when he went missing. He noted that Cottrell was by himself when he was seen on the Ring camera video.
"Mr. Morris cannot be in two places at the same time. It's a physical impossibility," the statement reads. "The truth is that we just do not know who caused the death of Mr. Cottrell and we may never know. We are disappointed that Mr. Morris has been charged with this crime, but we look forward to putting forward a vigorous defense and bringing the truth to light."
The suspect remains in the Miami-Dade County Jail and is awaiting extradition to Alabama.