Kelly Morris Disappearance Timeline

October 02, 2008

Sept 3, 2008 – According to William "Scott" Morris, his wife, Kelly Morris, goes outside to look for their dog at 9:30 p.m.

Sept 4, 2008 – At 11:19 a.m., a 911 caller reports a fire at the Morris home, located at 3220 Tump Wilkins Road, Stem, North Carolina. The house and much of its contents are destroyed; however, no one is home when the fire breaks out. Scott Morris is allegedly at his towing business in Creedmoor, and the couple's two young children, ages 8 and 5, are in school.

It is initially believed that Kelly is in Raleigh, where she works for Nationwide Insurance; however, investigators learn that she never showed up for work that morning.

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

When questioned by police, Scott Morris allegedly tells them that he took a shower and went to bed while Kelly was out looking for their dog on Sept 3.

Friends of Kelly tell investigators that Scott and Kelly Morris had been having marital problems and that they slept in separate rooms. Investigators are also informed that Scott Morris allegedly has a bad temper, and that, in the past, he has punched holes in walls and thrown a computer through a window.

Sept. 10, 2008 – Investigators obtain Scott Morris's cell phone records, which indicate he had placed a phone call to his parents on Sept. 3 at 9:45 p.m.

Sept 12, 2008 – The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the state Bureau of Investigation conduct forensic tests at the scene of the Morris house fire that, according to police, reveal the fire was the work of an arsonist.

Police question Scott Morris's father, Jimmy Morris, who states that he received a call from his son on the night of Sept. 3, allegedly requesting that he come over to babysit the Morris's two children so that Scott could look for Kelly.

Jimmy Morris said that when he arrived at his son's house, Scott Morris allegedly never told him the story that Kelly had left to look for one of the family's dogs. Instead, he allegedly suggested that he suspected Kelly was out, cheating on him. Jimmy said that Scott then drove off in his green 1996 Toyota pickup, North Carolina license plate SPM-4848. Cell phone records indicate that Scott had received a call from his father at 10:59 p.m. The records further indicate that Morris' phone had utilized a Creedmoor cell phone tower. Morris called his father again at 11:56 p.m. It remains unclear what time Morris returned home; however, it is known that he took his children to school the following morning and met with a tow truck driver at approximately 8:15 a.m. on Sept. 4.

Police question Kelly Morris's daughter, who informs them that when she awoke on Sept. 4, both of the family's dogs were locked in crates inside the house.

Police name William "Scott" Morris a "person of interest" in his wife’s disappearance and in the arson fire that destroyed the Morris home.

A search warrant is reportedly secured in the case; however, it is sealed under a judge's order.

Sept. 13, 2008 – Nearly 150 volunteers and search team members scour a three-mile radius surrounding the Morris home. Nothing of interest is found during the search.

Sept. 16, 2008 – A second search warrant is reportedly secured; however, it too is sealed under a judge's order.

Sept. 19, 2008 – More than 400 people show up for a vigil at Creedmoor First Baptist Church to pray for Kelly. One of the people at the vigil is a longtime friend of Kelly's named Myra Wren. During an interview with NBC17.com, Myra states that Kelly and Scott were having marital problems; however, she says that the problems were "nothing that would have made me think this would happen."

Sept 20, 2008 – Kelly's mother, Wanda Hollis, hires a canine team from Burlington, NC, to join the search for her daughter. The dogs, trained to track specific scents, are guided around the burned-out home and also through some nearby wooded areas.

Sept. 24, 2008 – Investigators secure another search warrant, this time for Scott Morris's 1996 Toyota pickup. Fibers and a twig are allegedly seized during the search.

Read the Search Warrant

Sept. 28, 2008 - a group of search volunteers find a torn orange shirt and a yellow gas can not far from Kelly's home, near Robertson Creek on Brassfield Road in Granville County. According to a source close to the investigation, the shirt, which had been purposefully cut up to remove a name above the breast pocket, is allegedly similar to shirts that Scott Morris wears while working at his Creedmoor towing business.

The investigation continues…

Anyone with information about Kelly or Scott Morris is asked to contact David Lohr at davidlohr@davidlohr.net. Anyone with information about Kelly's 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

[Sheila]

Sorry. I hate when that happens. Cannot hit the backspace key for some reason without deleting everything. Don't know if you got the first part of my comment, but if you didn't the question was, does a person have to be mentally ill to commit murder? If someone doesn't like their wife, why don't they just LEAVE? If you don't like your daughter, why don't you give her up for adoption? Which is why my friends and I argue this quite vehemently. We all have evil or corruptness inside of us to varying degrees. Murder would be the most extreme example of this selfishness. Is it because of lack of training that some resort to this crime so quickly, or again, are you really a physiological mutant? I understand theft, etc. so my opinion is lack of training would make one commit a murder say, in an act of rage, but to plan a murder, I just want this question answered!!!

[pak31]

I agree with Sheila. It would be so much easier to leave than to concoct a story, hide evidence, etc. etc. Just deal with it like any other adult and move on. Life isn't easy but to go to those lengths and to commit the ultimate crime of murder(not that this man did), something is mentally wrong with someone to do that.

[Kim]

In case like these it is often men who have uncontrolled tempers and snap during an argument or get so angry they plan the killing. I think these men and women are sociopaths and think that they will just eliminate the problem in their way and their egos will never let them think they would get caught.

Most of these husbands never get charged or go years free before the police can charge them. There are alot.

[anonymous]

My family is getting threatening phone calls,etc just because they are friends of Scott! Every couple has their problems and it's not always the male! Instead of going directly after Scott why don't you check into all the guys she cheated on Scott with! I'm tired of everybody making her out to be an angel when she wasn't!

[Rosemary]

Most murders are not planned at all but are committed in a moment of rage during a confrontation between two people.

Whatever the motive no one has the right to kill another person and if they just lose it and kill then when found out they have to have their day in court just like everyone else.

I believe this man is guilty and I believe when they find this woman she will have died from strangulation and or a broken neck and its my opinion she will be found in a well but where the well is I don't know since I am notfamiliar with the area but this is where I believe the search team should look.

I believe the murder took place on the evening of the third and the ire no doubt was set to cover up some evidence?

Now we will just have to wait and see if my predictions come true and that will be determined by what investigators think after looking over the crime scene when they find the body of Kelly.

[John]

After nearly 14 months, her body is beleived to have been found, and the husband in custody. Granville county to hold news conference, 11-17-09