In the late hours of a Monday night in Brunswick, Georgia, the life of 23-year-old Michael Allen Redd Propes was tragically cut short. On September 27, 2021, the young man from Waycross found himself on Blythe Island Drive, where a dispute would escalate to a fatal encounter. The male victim was at the residence of an acquaintance when an argument erupted, leading to a single, fatal gunshot.
When officers from the Glynn County Police Department arrived at the 1400 block of Blythe Island Drive shortly before midnight, they discovered Propes's body.
The investigation into the shooting moved swiftly. Initially, two individuals were taken into custody for questioning. It was soon determined that one of them was allegedly responsible for Propes's death. The Glynn County Police Department identified the suspect as 57-year-old Ricky Darrell Morrow. He was subsequently arrested and faced a slew of charges, including felony murder, aggravated assault, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. An additional charge of a convicted felon in possession of a firearm was also brought against him.
The legal proceedings that followed painted a grim picture of the events that transpired. Prosecutors detailed how Propes was visiting Morrow's home with a friend. A disagreement arose over methamphetamine that Propes had purchased with money provided by Morrow. The conflict intensified, with Morrow becoming upset about the amount of the drug. He then retrieved a revolver and, despite Propes's denials, shot him in the back. The bullet struck Propes's heart and lung, resulting in his death at the scene.
Approximately one year after the shooting, a Glynn County jury found Ricky Darrell Morrow guilty of felony murder, aggravated assault, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. Though Morrow claimed the shooting was accidental, he was unable to provide a coherent explanation of how it occurred. Following the guilty verdict, he was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole, in addition to five years for the firearms charge. Under Georgia law, Morrow will not be eligible for parole until he is 87 years old.
