Kendell Jerrell Morris, prompted by alleged prior contentious conversations with boyfriend over the phone, drove more than 250 miles with the wrong target in mind
In a sentence handed down Wednesday by a Tarrant County jury, Kendell Jerrell Morris was sentenced to 27 years in a state correctional facility for the 2020 murder of Robert Cooley III. The verdict was based on the fact that Morris mistakenly mistook Cooley for his son’s mother’s new boyfriend, triggering a tragic event that shocked the community.
Prior to the verdict, another jury had found Morris guilty of one count of murder for fatally shooting Cooley.
Tarrant County Criminal District Attorney Phil Sorrells issued a press release detailing that Morris undertook a journey from Houston, Texas, to a residence in Arlington with the intent to kill the new boyfriend, whom he only knew through basic physical descriptions.
In the release, Sorrells stated, “He believed he saw the boyfriend and opened fire, killing Robert Cooley III, 24, who was not the boyfriend.” Morris, prompted by alleged prior conflicting conversations with the boyfriend over the phone, drove more than 250 miles with the wrong target in mind, Law&Crime reported.
Court documents obtained by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram offered more details about the circumstances of the shooting. According to the report, Morris and another man were captured on surveillance footage from a gun store a day before the incident, where Morris purchased two .223 magazines for an AR-15 rifle.
A probable cause affidavit written by an Arlington Police Department detective revealed that Morris and his companion were seen purchasing ammunition in Edgebrook, Texas.
Witnesses indicated that a white Nissan Altima, owned by Morris, was observed in the parking lot of the apartment complex where the shooting occurred.
Testimony from a resident who lived with the boyfriend noted that, in the early hours of May 4, they saw the white Nissan Altima in the parking lot before hearing gunshots. Upon returning, Cooley was on the ground and the white vehicle was no longer present.
Morris was identified by several witnesses as the driver of the white Altima at the scene of the shooting. Shortly after the incident, he was taken into custody by a Texas State Police trooper, who recovered an AR-15 rifle from inside his vehicle.
Prosecutors initially charged Morris’ companion with murder, but later dropped the charges. This tragic episode highlights the importance of accurate identification and the danger of actions based on misperceptions.