A Shocking Discovery Inside the Family Home
A quiet Memphis neighborhood became the center of a homicide investigation after 36-year-old Kendra Scott allegedly discovered 20-year-old Rodderius Morton hiding beneath the bed of her 13-year-old daughter during the early hours of July 16. According to investigators, the teenager had secretly invited Morton to the house around 1 a.m. Roughly thirty minutes later, Scott returned home, reportedly armed, demanding to know who was inside. The girl later told police she feared exactly this situation because her mother had previously warned that if she ever found a boy in the house, she would shoot him. After entering the bedroom, Scott allegedly ordered Morton to get out. He crawled from beneath the bed and left the house, while Scott followed him outside.
The Fatal Confrontation and Criminal Charges
Only moments after Morton stepped into the front yard, a single gunshot shattered the silence. Officers responding to the scene found the 20-year-old lying outside with a fatal gunshot wound to the back of his head. Witnesses told investigators Scott remained nearby holding a handgun and allegedly admitted, “I shot him.” Police recovered the firearm and later arrested Scott, charging her with first-degree murder and using a firearm during the commission of a dangerous felony. According to court documents, Scott later told detectives she had found “a dude under my kid’s bed” and believed she had done what was necessary. Her attorney argues the case began with every parent’s worst nightmare—finding an adult man hidden inside a young daughter’s bedroom—and says the emotional shock she experienced will be central to her defense. However, legal experts note that because Morton had reportedly been invited into the home and was leaving when he was shot, Tennessee’s self-defense protections may not apply.
Two Families Facing Different Tragedies
As the criminal case moves forward, both families are dealing with devastating consequences. Morton’s relatives describe him as a caring young man who “never bothered anybody” and continue mourning his sudden death while asking the public not to rush to judgment. Meanwhile, Scott’s three daughters are coping with the emotional trauma of witnessing the events that unfolded, while relatives have launched an online fundraiser to help cover legal expenses, counseling, and everyday living costs during her incarceration. Neighbors remain divided. Some sympathize with a mother who discovered an adult man hiding in her 13-year-old daughter’s room, while others believe the situation should have ended with a call to police rather than a fatal shooting. As investigators continue examining the evidence, the case has become a painful debate over parental instinct, fear, legal responsibility, and where the line between protection and criminal accountability is ultimately drawn.