A Memphis woman has been charged with first-degree murder after allegedly shooting a man she said she discovered hiding beneath her daughter’s bed during the early morning hours.
Kendra Scott was arrested following the incident and faces charges of first-degree murder and employment of a firearm during the commission of a dangerous felony. According to WREG-TV, she is being held on a $100,000 bond.
Police responded to Scott’s residence on Friday after reports of a shooting. Officers found 20-year-old Rodderius Morton lying near the front porch with a gunshot wound to the back of his head, according to local reports.
Following the shooting, Scott allegedly told officers, “I saw a dude under my kids’ bed, and I did what I had to do.”
Investigators also interviewed a neighbor who reported witnessing the aftermath of the shooting. According to police, the witness said Scott was standing outside the home holding a firearm and repeatedly stated, “I shot him, I shot him.”
An arrest has been made in connection with a homicide in the 3000 block of Travis Road.
Kendra Scott, 36, has been charged with First Degree Murder and Employing a Firearm During the Commission of a Dangerous Felony.
This arrest contributes to MPD’s 82% homicide clearance rate… pic.twitter.com/qto6P1gbbX
— Memphis Police Dept (@MEM_PoliceDept) July 16, 2026
Court records cited by local media provide additional details about what investigators believe occurred before the shooting.
A juvenile inside the home told police that Morton had been invited into the residence through the back door at approximately 1 a.m. The juvenile said Scott arrived home about 30 minutes later and called out, “Who’s at my house?”
According to the juvenile’s statement, she became frightened because Scott was armed. The juvenile also alleged that Scott had previously warned, “If I see a boy in the house, then I will put a hole in his a**.”
Police say Scott eventually discovered Morton hiding underneath a bed in the juvenile’s bedroom. According to witness statements included in court documents, an argument followed as Scott allegedly ordered Morton to leave the residence, shouting, “Get out of my house.”
The juvenile told investigators that she later heard a single gunshot after Scott and Morton had moved onto the front porch.
Memphis mother charged with first degree murder for shooting a man under her daughter’s bed.
Kendra Scott (36) shot the man she found under her daughter’s bed in the back of the head on the morning of July 16. She told police she found the man and ‘did what she had to do’.… pic.twitter.com/hIbuQMpyOp
— Rose (@901Lulu) July 18, 2026
Authorities have not publicly indicated why Morton was allegedly hiding beneath the bed or what occurred during the confrontation outside beyond the witness statements included in the charging documents. Those questions may become central as the case moves through the court system.
Scott’s attorney, Blake Ballin, has argued that the circumstances surrounding the incident must be considered carefully. In a statement reported by People, Ballin described the situation as beginning with “the worst nightmare of any parent.”
He said one of the primary issues in the case will be whether a person confronted with those circumstances could reasonably be expected to act rationally.
The prosecution, however, alleges that Scott’s actions amounted to murder, and the criminal case will now determine whether the evidence supports that charge.
