A Texas man was found guilty of murdering a man who was not his intended target.
Kendell Morris was sentenced to 27 years behind bars for the 2020 killing of Robert Cooley III, KDFW reported. Morris is said to have driven from Houston to Arlington, approximately 255 miles, to target his ex’s new boyfriend.
Officials said when Morris arrived in Arlington, he believed he spotted the boyfriend in the parking lot of an apartment complex. He opened fire, resulting in him striking the wrong man.
According to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Morris never physically interacted with the new boyfriend. Also, he only had a broad description of him, a Black man with locs.
Morris and the new boyfriend had “adversarial” phone calls before the May 4 incident, per the outlet. Witnesses at the scene said they saw a parked white Nissan Altima that was later linked to Morris.
According to the warrant written by an Arlington police detective, a witness saw Cooley, 24, walk into the parking lot when she suddenly heard gunshots, the Star-Telegram reported. Moments later, Cooley was lying on the pavement, and Morris’ vehicle vanished. However, he was arrested the same day near Houston, and an AR-15 was found in his possession.
Police said that Morris and another individual were captured on security video purchasing ammo the night before the incident, per the report. His friend was also charged with murder, but it was later dropped.
The victim’s family described him as a well-rounded individual who loved sports, music, and art.
“Robert was an exceptional athlete who won many championships with Kings Grant, Oakdale, and several other parks. Robert also loved performing,” an obituary obtained by the Star-Telegram said. “He had a dream of becoming big in the music industry. He also had a gift for cooking, which he learned from his loving mother, and was a talented virtual arts artist.”
It continued: “Robert had a heart of gold, and he touched the hearts of people who he came in contact with. He will be sorely missed by everyone who loved and adored him.”
