Mother charged with murder after shooting man found under daughter's bed
A Memphis mother, Kendra Scott, has been charged with first-degree murder and employment of a firearm during the commission of a dangerous felony after she allegedly shot and killed a man she found hiding under her daughter's bed. The incident occurred in Southwest Memphis at a home in the 3000 block of Travis Road.
Police responded to a shooting call and found the victim, identified as Rodderius Morton, dead near the front porch. He had suffered a gunshot wound to the back of his head, according to police reports.
Scott's statement to police
Kendra Scott told officers, "I saw a dude under my kids' bed, and I did what I had to do." A neighbor reported hearing banging and then seeing a man shot near the front porch. The neighbor also observed Scott standing in the front yard, still holding a gun, and saying, "I shot him, I shot him." Scott was detained and taken for questioning.
A juvenile witness at the residence was also interviewed by investigators. The juvenile allegedly told police that Morton had been invited into the home and entered through the back door at 1 a.m.
Sequence of events revealed by juvenile witness
According to the juvenile, Scott arrived home around 1:30 a.m., knocking loudly at the front door and yelling, "Who's at my house?" The juvenile stated she was scared because Scott had a gun in her hand and was visibly angry. Scott had previously told the juvenile, "If I see a boy in the house, then I will put a hole in his a**."
When the juvenile finally let Scott in, Morton was found hiding under a bed in the juvenile's room. As Morton attempted to leave, he and Scott engaged in a verbal argument, with Scott yelling, "Get out of my house, b****!" The juvenile said she heard one gunshot after they reached the front porch.
Scott does not have a bond set and is scheduled to appear in court on Monday, July 20.
