Brunswick man sentenced to life in prison for felony murder
District Attorney Keith Higgins announced that Ricky Darrell Morrow, 58, of Brunswick, was found guilty of felony murder, aggravated assault and possession of a firearm during commission of a felony, following a criminal jury trial that began on Sept. 19 in Glynn County Superior Court.
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On the night of Monday, Sept. 27, 2021, the victim, Michael Allen Propes, 23, of Waycross, Ga., and a friend were at the home of Ricky Darrell Morrow on Blythe Island in Glynn County. Morrow, who knew Propes, had invited him and his friend to his home to socialize. They were there for about an hour when Morrow indicated to Propes that he was ready to do a shot of methamphetamine, which Propes had apparently bought earlier with $100 that Morrow had given him. All three were methamphetamine addicts.
Morrow gave Propes’ friend a syringe to prepare a shot of methamphetamine for himself. Morrow then became upset that there should be more methamphetamine than what Propes produced. Propes insisted that was it and he had not shortchanged Morrow. Morrow then walked to another room and returned with a revolver. He again questioned Propes about the quantity of drugs, saying “don’t do me like this.”
He then shot Propes in the back one time. The bullet struck Propes in the heart and a lung, and he died at the scene soon afterward.
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Morrow told Propes’ friend and responding officers that it was an accident, and he didn’t mean to shoot Propes. However, he never explained how it was an accident. Morrow refused to give a statement to the investigators from the Glynn County Police Department, and he declined to testify at trial.
In his closing argument, Chief Assistant District Attorney Nigel Lush told the jury that this was another example of the tragedy of drug addiction and how guns and drugs don’t mix: “Propes paid the ultimate price for his addiction, and Morrow needed to be held responsible for his.”
The jury deliberated for two hours before returning the guilty verdicts. Following the jury verdict on Sept. 21, Judge Roger B. Lane sentenced Morrow to life in prison with the possibility of parole plus an additional five years in prison for the gun charge.
In Georgia, life with the possibility of parole means a person must serve 30 years before becoming eligible for parole. As such, Morrow will be 87 years old when he becomes eligible.
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