In January 2002, Richard Morrison was found dead inside his room at the Palms Boarding House in Jacksonville.
The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office ruled the death a homicide after the medical examiner ruled the cause of death as strangulation. The Sheriff's Office says some of Morrison's belongings were missing from his room.
For 17 years, the case sat cold until a man by the name of Kenny Maxwell walked into the Sheriff's Office Feb.21 and made a full confession to Morrison's murder.
The suspect told detectives there was an altercation after he attempted to rob the victim and that's when the murder happened, according to the Sheriff's Office.
I spoke to Kenny Maxwell face to face about his confession to a 17 year old cold case. Maxwell was very emotional during our conversation, he said he knew confessing was the right thing to do, and hopes Morrison's family will forgive him. @ActionNewsJax at 10:00 pic.twitter.com/JRnKSiRnY0
— Bridgette Matter (@bridgetteANjax) February 28, 2019
The Sheriff's Office said the suspect did not have much explanation as to why he was turning himself in.
Action News Jax reporter Bridgette Matter went to the Duval County Jail to talk to Maxwell and ask why he turned himself in 17 years after the murder.
Maxwell was emotional, crying at one point, saying, “I turned my life over to God, and knew I had to do this before I left this earth.”
He said the death of Morrison was over drugs and hopes Morrison's family can one day forgive him.
“Forgiveness is a lot to ask for.”
Maxwell explained he has a 19-year-old son and coming forward was the right thing to do and an example for his son.
Matter asked Maxwell if he believed he could have gotten away with it. He said, “Yes, they didn’t have anything on me.”
Maxwell has been charged with second-degree murder. Detectives say they’re investigating the possibility that there are other suspects
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