ONLY ON 米兰体育 13: Surveillance video shows Deundray Cottrell before his murder
Video above: Lawyer fights 'misinformation' in Deundray Cottrell's death
Exclusive surveillance video obtained by 米兰体育 13 shows Deundray Cottrell before his murder.
Out of respect for the family, 米兰体育 13 has chosen to not air the footage at this time.
The video shows Cottrell walking into a backyard at night, staying along the edges. He falls while hopping over a fence, gets back up and then walks out of the frame.
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Cottrell, a marketing Ph.D. student, vanished following Fourth of July fireworks at his sister's home.
Julian Morris, who is Cottrell's former partner and is a person of interest in the case, told the family Cottrell simply ran off.
鈥淭he entire time that we were searching. He was in my mom's house, talking to my mom, trying to explain,鈥� said Angelica Cottrell, his sister.
Angelica Cottrell said they searched for her brother all night, using doorbell camera videos to track his path.
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Then, she remembers Morris telling her on the phone he had put her brother in a house.
鈥淚 was like, hey, he's in a house. Like, he's in a house. Dude just told me calm, cool, and collected that he's in a house. We got to go look in houses,鈥� Angelica Cottrell said.
Ultimately, Deundray Cottrell's shoe was found behind a shed two blocks away, where detectives uncovered his body inside the following Saturday.
Tim Cottrell had to identify his big brother to police at the scene.
鈥淚 took on that challenge, knowing that my sister and my mom probably wouldn't be able to accept it. And I'm okay with it,鈥� Tim Cottrell said. 鈥淭hat's hurtful, too, because, like, my mom was there, staring her son's killer in the eye.
Morris has not been charged in the case. The family hopes that they receive justice and that their brother's legacy of love lives on.
鈥淢y hope is that nobody that ever experienced the love that 'D' generated never forgets it,鈥� Angelica Cottrell said.
The attorneys representing Morris released a statement Wednesday.
The statement reiterated the fact that Julian Morris "is a college-educated veteran" with "no prior misdemeanor or felony convictions," according to his attorney.
Birmingham police said Morris spoke with them before the body was found, but not since. Police said they respect his wish not to provide a statement.
Morris loved the man who went missing and was found dead, Deundray Cottrell, the statement said.
"Despite the false narratives that are being promulgated about him in this situation, he loved Deundray Cottrell and is currently grieving the death of his loved one," the statement read.
Crime Stoppers is offering a $5,000 reward for any information leading to Morris鈥� arrest.
This is a developing story and will be updated as information becomes available. Stay updated on the latest stories with the 米兰体育 13 app. You can download ithere.