Morris sentenced to 23 and a half years

RITZVILLE – Grayson Douglas Wrae Morris (27) pleaded guilty to 1st degree homicide in Adams County Superior Court on Monday, October 4. Morris was accused in the May 14, 2020 shooting death of his father, Douglas Morris, at the father's home in the 100 block of west 7th Ave in Ritzville. Following the recommendations of prosecutors and defense attorneys, Adams County Superior Court Judge, Steve Dixon, sentenced Morris to 23½ years (282 months) for the killing.

After the shooting in Ritzville, Morris drove a stolen 2019 Ford Escape to Oregon, where he was taken into custody outside Troutdale, after shooting at police and carjacking a second vehicle at gunpoint when the first stolen vehicle ran out of gas. Morris was charged in Multnomah County and Hood River County with numerous charges stemming from the high-speed chase on Interstate 84 that ended with his arrest.

During the court proceeding defense attorney Barrett Scudder said his client suffered from several mental disorders, and outlined a long history of parental neglect and child abuse in the relationship between Morris and his father, which was the motive for the killing. Scudder said and expert in child abuse, who reviewed the case, said it was "one of the 10 worst cases he had seen."

Morris, a father himself, apologized in court to his daughters, his family and his father's former fiancé, who witnessed the shooting.

Judge Dixon said the events of May 14, 2020 "must have been unbelievably horrible." He noted the defendant had been polite and respectful in court and acknowledged and accepted responsibility for his actions. Dixon said he hopes Morris "gets a fair chance at parole, and can live a decent life" after he is released from prison.

Prosecutors negotiated a joint recommendation with the Oregon jurisdictions, and the Oregon sentences will run concurrently with the Washington sentence. The Oregon cases are resolved with the plea agreement in Washington. Morris will be incarcerated in Washington.

In addition to Scudder, Morris was represented by public defender Kyle Smith of Spokane.