A Tennessee mother, Kendra Scott, 36, has been arrested and charged with first-degree murder and possession of a firearm during a felony. The charges stem from a shooting incident that occurred early Thursday morning at her Memphis home.
Police responded to Scott's residence shortly before 2 a.m. after receiving reports of a shooting. Upon arrival, officers discovered a 20-year-old man, identified as Rodderius Morton, unresponsive on the front porch with a gunshot wound to the back of his head. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
According to an arrest affidavit, Scott told responding officers that she found Morton hiding under her daughter's bed. She stated, "I saw a dude under my kid's bed and I did what I had to do." Scott's daughter confirmed the victim's identity and told police she had invited Morton to the home around 1 a.m., and he entered through the back door. Approximately 20 minutes later, Scott arrived home and began demanding to know who was in the house.
The daughter expressed fear, stating Scott possessed a gun and had previously threatened to harm any male found in the house. She reported that when she allowed her mother into the bedroom, Scott discovered Morton hiding under the bed. After retrieving his belongings, Scott allegedly ordered Morton to leave the house. The daughter reported hearing a single gunshot as Scott and Morton went onto the front porch.
A neighbor corroborated parts of the account, telling police he heard banging and saw Scott enter the home carrying a gun. After hearing gunshots, the neighbor re-entered the yard and reported seeing Scott standing with the gun, saying, "I shot him, I shot him."
Investigators located a 9mm spent shell casing on the front porch and a black handgun in the yard. Scott was arraigned virtually on Friday and is scheduled for a bail review hearing on Monday.
Attorneys for Scott stated that a key question in the case will be whether anyone could act rationally under such circumstances. Meanwhile, relatives of Morton have described him as mentally challenged and having a childlike mindset, questioning the narrative presented by authorities and asking for unanswered questions to be addressed.