Jadrakus Antony Morris, a 28-year-old male, tragically lost his life on the evening of Sunday, October 1, 2017, following a shooting in Bessemer, Alabama. The incident, which also left two other individuals wounded, unfolded around 8 p.m. in the 400 block of 18th Street North. Responding to the sound of gunfire, officers arrived to a chaotic scene where they discovered Morris and the two other victims suffering from gunshot wounds.
All three were quickly transported to UAB Hospital in Birmingham for medical attention. Despite the efforts of medical personnel, Jadrakus Antony Morris succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead at the hospital.
In the days that followed the shooting, the Bessemer Police Department identified Cortez Roriandez Collins, who was 25 years old at the time, as the primary suspect in the homicide. A warrant for murder was issued for his arrest, along with two counts of attempted murder for the injuries sustained by the other two victims. Collins, however, managed to evade capture and embarked on a period as a fugitive from justice. The search for him spanned several months, creating a period of uncertainty for the community and the victim's grieving family.
The manhunt for Cortez Roriandez Collins came to a dramatic end in January 2018. Acting on a tip, the U.S. Marshals Gulf Coast Regional Fugitive Task Force tracked him to a residence in the 700 block of 17th Street North in Bessemer, a location not far from where the fatal shooting had occurred. In a tense standoff, authorities discovered Collins hiding in the attic of the home. He was taken into custody without further incident, bringing a close to the extensive search. Following his capture, he was booked into the Jefferson County Jail, facing the charges of murder and attempted murder that had been brought against him.
