Kelly Morris, Missing Mother of Two, May Have Been Murdered

September 17, 2008

With much of the nation focused on Casey Anthony and her missing three-year-old daughter, Caylee Anthony, little coverage has been devoted to an equally disturbing case - the disappearance of a missing mother of two from Stem, North Carolina.

On the morning of September 4, 2008, firefighters with the Stem and Providence fire departments responded to a house fire at 3220 Tump Wilkins Road. The house and much of its contents were destroyed; however, firefighters were able to determine that the residents, 34-year-old William Scott Morris and his wife, 28-year-old Kelly Currin Morris, were not home when the fire broke out.

William Morris was allegedly at his towing business in Creedmoor and the couple's two young children, ages 8 and 5, were in school at the time of the incident. It was initially believed that Kelly was in Raleigh, where she worked for Nationwide Insurance; however, investigators soon learned that she never showed up for work that morning.

Roughly two hours later, Kelly's car, a burgundy 2005 Honda Accord, North Carolina license plate TXP-5917, was found abandoned in an undeveloped subdivision, less than a mile from her home. Inside the locked car, investigators found Kelly's keys, purse, and cell phone.

When questioned by police, William Morris allegedly told them that he had not seen his wife since the previous night.

"He was the last person to see her alive on Wednesday night (Sept. 3) at their home," Granville Sheriff David Smith told NewsObserver.com. "She was allegedly going to find a pet dog that had got outside, we think, between 9 p.m. and 9:30 p.m."

According to Smith, the dog later showed up without her.

I am assuming, given the sheriff's statement, that Kelly did not return after she went searching for the dog. If that is the case, then I find it suspicious that she was not immediately reported missing.

Police records do not show any incidents of domestic violence at the Morris home, and investigators have yet to receive any reports suggesting that the couple was having marital problems.

On September 12, the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the state Bureau of Investigation conducted forensic tests at the scene of the fire which, according to Smith, have revealed that the fire was the work of an arsonist. Following that revelation, investigators named William Morris a person of interest in the fire and in his wife's disappearance.

Last Saturday, nearly 150 volunteers and search team members scoured a three mile radius surrounding the Morris home. Unfortunately, they were unable to locate Kelly or any relevant evidence. The sheriff's office has since scaled back the search effort; however, Kelly's friends and family members are continuing to actively search the areas around her home.

Kelly's mother, Wanda Hollis, is convinced something terrible has happened to her daughter. During an interview with HeraldSun.SouthernHeadlines.com, she said her "gut feeling" is that her daughter is dead.

Long time friends are equally convinced that Kelly would not have left of her own accord.

"It's not something Kelly would do," former high school classmate Brandy Carnell told NBC17.com. "She's just too family-oriented. She loves her friends too much; she loves her family too much."

Investigators will not comment on whether William Morris is cooperating; however, Kelly's friends have openly criticized him for not getting involved in the search effort.

"He's probably the only one that knows anything," an unnamed friend of Kelly's told ABClocal.go.com.

Something smells foul in this case, and it's not the remnants of the Morris' burned-out house.

Anyone with information about Kelly Morris' whereabouts is urged to call the Granville County Sheriff's Office at (919) 693-3213.

Discuss The Kelly Morris Case

Related Links:
Full Coverage: Kelly Currin Morris Case

Comments

[pak31]

I'm confused. She went out at 9 p.m. on Sept. 3rd to look for the dog and never returned home?? I agree, she should have come back that night. Wouldn't a normal husband worry about where she was? I guess since that part of the story is vague, there is something going on with him. These stories drive me crazy. Husband's story doesn't add up, arson burned the house down the next morning, her abandoned car found with all her stuff there. He just happens to be the last one to see her and he was at work when the fire broke out. If, and I say if, he was involved in her disappearance I ask WHY? Why are so many husbands doing this sort of thing?? I guess I just can't imagine ever doing something like this to my husband or anyone for that matter. This world is filled with scary people.

[Lady Sheila]

What causes a case to become high profile? This of course is most upsetting anyway, but what about this horrible tragedy was not news-worthy (compared to the Anthony case)? Was it because a child was missing in the latter? I have read that there is such a thing as a white woman syndrome (I think that is the correct wording) and that those types of cases always take presidence over other stories. This new case with Kelly Morris meets the criteria, yet has failed to gain nationwide attention. Does the media have only so much they can cover, and they have decided to roll with the snowball in the Florida case, or does the public create the interest and the media follows it? I would love to help in this most frustrating field, somehow, but haven't a clue yet as to how I could best deliver on that. Many thanks to anyone who could shed some light on this!

[Patty]

This is horrible!!! I hope that Kelly is found safe. Her family is in my thoughts and prayers!

[Angie]

Did they already check the burned down house for her skeletal remains, or teeth? That is the most likely scenerio. He burned down the whole house to destroy her body evidence.

[loretta]

It's always difficult to believe that a mother would abandon her children for any reason. (Or her purse.)
While looking at the links, I found this story also in NC; another man has been arrested for murder/arson in the 9/11/08 death of his wife: http://www.nbc17.com/midatlantic/ncn/news.apx.-content-articles-NCN-2008-09-11-0022.html

[Ashlee]

Wonder if there was another woman involved? Maybe that could be the cause of the fire if the husband was at work when it started???
I myself find it a little startling that she never returned that evening from looking for the dog and the husband didn't think anything of it. My husband would be driving the streets looking like crazy for me...

[Angie]

There is a very slight chance the husband was "at work" when the fire started. If he has his OWN towing company than it would be much easier to say he was there after the fact. That is his alibi, he abandoned her car (again, likely) with her belongings in it to look like she was kidnapped and/or murdered by someone else. But how suspicious is it that a fire destroyed their home on the evening she went missing....hmmm.

[Carol]

WHY didn't her husband go out and look for the dog? I don't believe a word this guy says. Her car wouldn't be abandoned locked with her keys, purse and cell phone. That just doesn't make sense. He probably burned the house down or had someone do it for him. So he could hide the evidence. Probably her body. He sounds like another Scott Peterson! I hope she can be found alive but.....Something is very wrong!
God Bless Kelly.

[cb]

Mother: ‘If she were to leave, something was going to happen’
Kelly Morris, of Stem
Hollis said her daughter's marriage was strained and that she had considered leaving her husband.

Posted: Sep. 18 11:08 p.m.
Updated: 14 minutes ago

Sad, you could see it coming.

[Ashlee]

It's hard to believe that he thinks his story sounds logical. It IS similar to how Scott Peterson's story sounded so fishy from the beginning. Wonder if they should start check fishing areas....

I can just imagine his interrogation:

Police: Do you know who might have kidnapped your wife?
Morris: It wasn't me, but she went looking for the dog last night and never came back...I figured she was with her friend Zenaida Fernandez Gonzalez.
Police: Did you go looking for her when she never turned up?
Morris: well...no I didn't think to look for her...
Police: And when she wasn't there in the morning?
Morris: I couldn't look for her because I HAD to be at work.
Police: So no point in time did you ever look for your missing wife who never showed back up at your house last night?
Morris: No. I figured I would conduct my own investigation for a month and then report her missing, but then the darn house caught on fire (maybe I left the stove on!) so any evidence I might have had to begin searching was coincidentally destroyed.
Police: And how do you explain why her car was found locked, with her purse and keys inside?
Morris: Dang! I forgot to burn the car too!

In all seriousness, I really hope they find her alive and we all find that her husband just has no common sense. Keeping Kelly in my thoughts and prayers...

[Kari]

Hmmm, so now we are discussing what makes a case 'high profile' and if race enters into it. I hear Dr. Phil will be covering that tonight in connection with the Anthonys.

I have no doubt race enters into it, as well as money, social position, physical beauty, youth, and lurid details. As a general rule, all sorts of news stories get more coverage, more attention, when the key characters are attractive (and, sadly, the old standard for beauty of white, slender, blonde, and blue-eyed still holds sway) and/or have money, power, or social position.

Also, when there are some sort of shocking details to the story, as in Casey's outrageous lies...

Kelly is an attractive girl, and has kind eyes. But her husband's story is not shocking, just very fishy.
Nor does anyone seem to have courted the media in this case, no billboards, (as yet) no flyers, no t-shirts... equals no money, power, prestige... equals not so much coverage.
Lesson? For those of us who are without power and money, if we ever need help finding someone or pursuing justice, we should yell our heads off to the media, and try to be outrageous in some way in order to get attention. Preferably not by lying, maybe by wearing a sandwich board on main street? Or a bikini?

[Teresa]

I think that her husband already knows he has messed up royally and is just sitting back with his mouth shut waiting for the officials to come on and get him. They cant get him fast enough. I pray for her family because i am a parent and i just want them to know that she is im my prayers and that i hope the officials catch whoever did this fast. We all can read and have read all of her husbands contradicting lies so hopefully it will all be over soon.

[Delilah]

Scott Morris is following the handbook. In most of the cases of missing mothers or missing women that I have researched or read about, there is a distinct pattern and Scott is following it to the tee.

Bad relationship or marriage, she wants out, tries to leave or files for divorce, he loses control and she goes missing.

It is a sad statement, but so true, and the saddest thing is there are so many that get away with it. There are so many cases that the body is never found and he goes on to live his life while children are left behind wondering.

Scott is not looking good in this and I hope they find Kelly soon so that her children don't have to spend the rest of their lives not knowing the truth.

[Deborah]

They had ruled out Kelly's body being in the house. The fire fighter searched it carefully and no body was there. The weird thing is that the chidren told the police that the dogs were in their cages when they left for school the morning of September 3 but when the fire department got to the house the dogs were running around outside of the house. It sounds like whoever burned the house didn't want the dogs to get hurt.

When this first happened I prayed that it wouldn't be Scott because of their youngest daughter. She has lost her sister who is now with her father and her mother is missing, and if Scott is found guilty, then she will lose her dad too. That is just sad for a little 5 year old. But after the police released information about the interviews of Scott and his father and there was so much difference in their stories, I couldn't help but wonder if Scott had something to do with Kelly's disappearance.

I hope that the TexasEquuSearch Team will come up with something so that they family can have some type of closure.

[Searching4theLost]

Interesting that someone thought enough about the dogs and the kids' feelings about them to let them out of their cages. Wish someone would have cared that much about Kelly and how the children needed their mama - how very sad that is.

I hope Kelly is found and justice is swift in this case. This family deserves answers - soon.

[tiffany]

My prayers go out to Kelly and family. Kelly was always quiet in school.I know her though as a good person and hard working. I pray that Kelly returns home safe and sound.I know how it is looking for answers and seems like you're at a dead end but don't give up hope. God is going to give u some answers and answer some of your'e prayers. God Bless u all.

[Tracie]

TodayEditFind Kelly Currin Morris
Please help this family find Kelly Currin Morris. She is a mother of two and has been missing for a week now (as of 9/11/08). She was last seen wed. 9-3-08. Her house was burned down and her car was f...
groups are going out on Saturday! If you are in Oxford, meet at 4151 Salem Rd @ Salem United Methodist church at 8:45am. It will be a nice day to search!! COME ON OUT!!!!!!!!
Comment - LikeUnlike - Share

[Stacia]

All I can say is "WOW", another one?

[Kristina]

This is just sad. My opinion, the husband knows where she is at. He just ain't saying. How do you not worry about your own wife? Doesn't that seem weird to you cuz it does to me. Its just crazy. I really hope she is alive but I seriously doubt it after all this time? Its just so sad.