An individual who travelled from Houston to Arlington in 2020 intending to assassinate the new boyfriend of the mother of his child but accidentally shot and killed the incorrect person was convicted of murder.
According to court documents, Kendell Jerrell Morris, 26, was sentenced to 27 years in prison by a Tarrant County jury on Wednesday in connection with the death of Robert Cooley III, 24. According to a warrant issued by Arlington police, Cooley was fatally shot in the parking lot of an apartment complex in May 2020 because he was a black male with dreadlocks, the only description that Morris had.
Morris had never met the individual he intended to murder, according to his arrest warrant.
Cooley was “an exceptional athlete” who won championships and produced music under the name Cooley03, according to an obituary from his family.
Robert enjoyed performing as well, his family wrote. “Becoming a household name in the music industry was his ambition.” Additionally, he possessed a maternal aptitude for culinary arts and demonstrated exceptional prowess in the realm of digital arts.
Thanks to the Arlington Police Department for their work on this case and for their commitment to keeping our community safe. pic.twitter.com/ewYvnNmn8S
— Tarrant County CDA (@TarrantCountyDA) December 20, 2023
Immediately following the gunshot in Madisonville, Texas, near Houston, a trooper with the Texas Department of Public Safety apprehended Morris. An AR-15 rifle was discovered in his vehicle, according to the warrant.
As stated in the affidavit for the arrest warrant prepared by Detective Julia Hall of Arlington, the following describes the shooting:
Video surveillance revealed that the evening before the shooting, Morris and another man were observed at a store in Edgebrook purchasing two.223 magazines.
Before the shooting, Morris and an Arlington man with whom he was in a romantic relationship regarding the mother of Morris’ child had engaged in “adversarial conversations” via telephone. The warrant lacked specific information regarding those discussions.
The warrant states that despite not knowing the appearance of the Arlington man, Morris and a companion traveled from Houston to commit murder. Morris could only be described as a black man sporting dreadlocks.
A white 2008 Nissan Altima was observed by onlookers parked in an area of an apartment complex on Bardin Greene Drive in Arlington on the morning of May 4. Morris was subsequently identified as the owner of the vehicle.
According to the warrant, one witness cohabitated with the Arlington resident whom Morris intended to murder, noting that the Houston resident was present at the apartment complex where the intended target resided.
The witness eventually observed Cooley traversing the parking lot on foot. As the witness prepared to enter her apartment through the entrance, she heard multiple gunshots.
Upon turning, she observed Cooley motionless in the parking lot; the Nissan Altima had departed.
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