Dontae Rashawn Morris

Serial Killer

Dontae Rashawn Morris: A Detailed Account of His Crimes

Background

Dontae Rashawn Morris, born on August 24, 1985, in Tampa, Florida, is an American criminal currently on death row. His early life was marked by hardship; his father was murdered when Morris was two years old, and his mother, who was 16 at the time of his birth, struggled with depression. Morris grew up partially with his ailing grandmother and changed schools multiple times. He is reported to have been a member of the "Bloods" street gang and had a 7-year-old son as of 2013.

Crimes

Between May and June 2010, Morris committed a series of murders in Tampa, Florida. His victims included both civilians and law enforcement officers.

Victims

• Derek Anderson: On May 18, 2010, 21-year-old Derek Anderson was shot and killed in front of his apartment in Tampa. Anderson had been walking home with a friend when they noticed a white car following them. Shortly after parting ways with his friend, Anderson was shot once in the back while talking on the phone near his apartment door.
• Rodney Jones: On May 31, 2010, 42-year-old Rodney Jones was fatally shot after leaving the Cotton Club Bar on North Albany Avenue in Tampa.
• Harold Wright: On June 8, 2010, 25-year-old Harold Wright was robbed and killed with a gunshot to the head next to his vehicle on 51st Street in Tampa.
• Officer David Curtis: On June 29, 2010, Officer David Curtis, 31, was shot in the head during a traffic stop in East Tampa. Curtis had stopped a vehicle for missing license plates and discovered an arrest warrant for Morris, who was a passenger. When Curtis and his partner attempted to arrest Morris, he shot both officers and fled on foot.
• Officer Jeffrey Kocab: Also on June 29, 2010, Officer Jeffrey Kocab, 31, was shot in the head during the same incident that claimed the life of Officer Curtis. Kocab had responded to Curtis's call for backup during the traffic stop.

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Confirmed Victims: (5)

Derek Anderson Age: (21), Date of Death: 2010-05-18

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Morris' troubled life took a fatal turn

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