'While we looked, Julian didn't': Sister of tranny found dead says his boyfriend had bizarre reaction

BIRMINGHAM, Al. — Alabama police have named an Atlanta man’s boyfriend as 
a person of interest in his death after his body was found.

Deundray Cottrell, 31, was killed over the July 4th holiday. His family 
reported him missing nearly two days before police found his body on July 
6 in a Birmingham neighborhood not far from where he disappeared.

Birmingham police are looking for his boyfriend, Julian Morris, 31, who is 
also from the Atlanta area.

Investigators believe Morris was the last person to see Cottrell alive on 
the 4th of July before he turned up dead days later.

Family members told Channel 2's Elizabeth Rawlins on WSB Tonight at 11 
p.m. on Sunday that they suspect he knows exactly what happened.

Rawlins spoke with Angelica Cottrell, the victim’s sister.

“Oh, it was definitely confirmed today that my brother was murdered,” she 
said.

The victim and Morris drove from Atlanta to Birmingham to celebrate the 
holiday with his sister and her family.

“My children started to pop fireworks and because my brother had his dog 
with him, he was gonna run into the house real quick and go and check on 
the dog,” Angelica Cottrell said.

She said Morris was the one who alerted her that her brother disappeared 
saying he jumped off her patio balcony.

“He told us that when he jumped, he bounced...got up and jumped the fence 
and took off running,” she said.

She added that his initial reaction and behavior were bizarre.

“While we looked – Julian didn’t,” she said. “At one point when everybody 
was searching, Julian had fixed a plate and was sitting there eating, and 
he looked at me and said omg the food is so good.”

Fearing Morris knew more than what he was letting on, Angelica said she 
told him to leave and find somewhere else to stay.

“Julian knows everything and he made a point to keep reminding me 
throughout his rants that he was a marine,” she said.

Morris is no longer answering calls.

If you have any information, call Birmingham Police or CrimeStoppers. 
There is currently a $5,000 reward for information leading to an arrest.

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atlanta-man-found-dead-birmingham-speaks-out/EQ5NGGYWPRFKBIOKORIIEIXJMU/