Mother Charged with Murder After Shooting Intruder

On Thursday around 1:50 a.m., police in Memphis, Tennessee responded to a shooting incident in the 3000 block of Travis Road. Upon arrival, they found a man with gunshot wounds, who was declared dead at the scene.

Kendra Scott, 36, was taken into custody and charged with first-degree murder as well as using a firearm during a dangerous felony. Reports indicate that Scott discovered a 20-year-old man, Rodelius Morton, hiding under her 13-year-old daughter’s bed.

According to an arrest affidavit, Scott told police, “I saw a man under the bed, and I did what I had to do.” The affidavit also noted that the victim had a gunshot wound in the back of his head and was found outside the residence.

The incident reportedly unfolded after Scott’s daughter had invited Morton to their home around 1 a.m. When Scott returned roughly 30 minutes later, she knocked on the door shouting queries about who was inside. Alarmed, her daughter reportedly became frightened when she noticed her mother was armed.

“If I ever see a boy in my house, I’m going to punch a hole in his butt,” Scott said, according to the affidavit. The situation escalated, and Scott yelled expletives at Morton before he exited the home.

After Scott confronted Morton outside, neighbors reported hearing gunshots. One neighbor later recounted that when he came out, he saw Scott next to Morton’s body with a gun in hand, allegedly admitting, “I shot him.” Authorities recovered a spent shell casing and a black Smith & Wesson handgun from the scene.

Scott’s attorney, Blake Ballin, commented, “This case began with the parents of a 13-year-old girl’s worst nightmare… it ended in tragedy.” He pointed out that a key question is whether Scott’s actions were reasonable in this situation.

Local firearms expert Buddy Smith stated that, based on what is known, the shooting likely wouldn’t qualify under Tennessee’s Castle Doctrine, which allows for self-defense in cases of violent felonies. He noted that, according to the affidavit, there’s no evidence suggesting Morton threatened Scott or anyone else.

Residents had mixed feelings. Gloria Miron expressed sympathy for Scott, describing her as a “really nice lady,” while another anonymous neighbor suggested calling the police would have been a better course of action.

As of Monday, a judge set Scott’s bail at $100,000, and her next court appearance is set for August 3. She remained in custody as of Tuesday, according to jail records.