In the late summer of 2002, the city of Phoenix, Arizona, was unknowingly harboring a predator. This story involves Barbara Codman, a 46-year-old female who fell victim to this predator. Her life was cut short on September 11, 2002, when her naked and decomposing body was discovered in an alley. This grim finding was just one piece of a larger, more disturbing puzzle that would unfold over the following months.
The investigation into Barbara's death would eventually lead police to a man
named Cory Morris, a 24-year-old karaoke disc jockey. The break in the case came in April 2003, when Morris's uncle discovered a decomposing body in the camper where Morris lived. This discovery prompted Morris's arrest, and under questioning, he confessed to the murders of five women, including Barbara Codman. Morris, who came to be known as 'The Crackhead Killer,' preyed on vulnerable women, often sex workers, luring them back to his trailer.
Morris's account of Barbara's death shifted during his confession. Initially, he claimed she had died of a drug overdose while he was away from the camper. However, he later changed his story, stating that she had asked him to choke her during sex and that her death was accidental. The investigation revealed a more sinister pattern of behavior. Morris would lure women to his trailer, where he would sexually assault and murder them. After their deaths, he would keep their bodies for a period for his own sexual gratification before dumping them in nearby alleys or on sidewalks.
Cory Morris was charged with five counts of first-degree murder. Despite his defense attorney's argument that the deaths were not premeditated, a jury found him guilty. He was subsequently sentenced to death for his crimes and is currently on death row. Friends remembered Barbara as a kind and gentle person who would not have harmed anyone. Her tragic death was a stark reminder of the hidden dangers that can lurk within a community.
