Atlanta man found dead after ‘running for his life’ on Fourth of July, police searching for 2nd man

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Police in Birmingham, Alabama are searching for an Atlanta man who vanished while celebrating the Fourth of July with his sister.

Deundray Cottrell, 31, was last seen on July 4, according to Birmingham police.

On Saturday, police say they found Cottrell’s body near where he disappeared. They are investigating his death as an “unclassified death.”

Cottrell’s sister, Angelica Harris, said that he lives in Atlanta and came to Birmingham with his partner to celebrate the holiday.

She said that around 10 p.m., Cottrell said he was going to go upstairs to check on his dog because of the fireworks.

“He went and checked on the dog and I never saw him again,” Harris said.

She went on to say that they found one of his shoes and his phone in the backyard. They later tracked down Ring doorbell camera video that showed Cottrell running through yards and even hopping a fence.

“It looked like he was looking for refuge,” Harris said. “He was running for his life.”

She says Cottrell works in marketing in Atlanta and is pursuing his doctorate degree.

Birmingham police said on Saturday that they are looking for a man named Julian Taylor Morris, who they say is the last person to have seen or heard from Cottrell.

They are offering a $5,000 reward for anyone who can help them locate Morris. His relationship with Cottrell is unclear.