Lenzie Morgan Jr

Lenzie Morgan Jr., a 49-year-old Black man known for his generosity, had an open door for those in need. A former professional boxer, he and Paul Kerr, 48, had boxed together when they were younger. When Kerr found himself homeless and living out of plastic bags, Morgan took his old friend into his Youngstown, Ohio, home. This act of kindness, however, would tragically lead to his death. His family remembered him as a good man who was always willing to help someone down on their luck. His brother, the Rev. Edward Flanagan, said that even if Morgan could come back, he would still have helped Kerr.

On the morning of September 30, 2014, an argument erupted in Morgan’s home in the 2200 block of Shady Run Road. Morgan had reportedly asked Kerr to leave because he believed Kerr was involved with his wife, Diva. Shortly after, Kerr shot Morgan in the head with what prosecutors said was a sawed-off .22-caliber rifle as Morgan sat in his living room chair. At about 8:10 a.m., police were called to the home where they found Morgan bleeding but initially able to speak. He was rushed to St. Elizabeth Health Center, but after fighting for his life for two weeks, Lenzie Morgan Jr. died from his injuries on October 15, 2014.

The investigation into the shooting was handled by the Youngstown Police Department. After the shooting, Paul Kerr fled and remained on the run for several weeks. He was initially charged with felonious assault, but after Morgan’s death, the charges were upgraded to aggravated murder. Kerr, who also used the alias Wiley Grant Cherry, was eventually captured in Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, just across the state line. A Mahoning County grand jury indicted him on charges of aggravated murder with a firearm specification and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

The case went to trial in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court in May 2015. Assistant Prosecutor Natasha Frenchko argued that Kerr killed Morgan after being told to leave the house, stating Morgan "didn’t realize who he was letting into his home was a dangerous man who at this point had nothing to lose." The prosecution presented evidence that a rifle similar to the one used in the shooting was missing from Kerr's mother's home and that Kerr had called his mother for a ride just minutes before the shooting. Kerr’s defense attorney, Ross Smith, countered by suggesting Morgan's wife may have been the killer, pointing out that gunshot residue was found on her hands as well as on Kerr's shirt. Smith also emphasized that the murder weapon was never found and that Diva Morgan's story changed during police interviews.

After deliberating for parts of three days, the jury found Paul Kerr guilty of aggravated murder. On May 11, 2015, Judge R. Scott Krichbaum sentenced him to life in prison without the possibility of parole. During sentencing, the judge condemned Kerr's actions, calling them heinous, disgusting, and revolting. He noted Kerr's extensive prior criminal record, which included drug, theft, and assault charges, as a major factor in the sentence. "He tried to help you, and you took advantage of him," Judge Krichbaum told Kerr. "There's no hope for you."

Despite their profound loss, Lenzie Morgan's family expressed forgiveness toward Kerr during the sentencing hearing. His brother, Rev. Edward Flanagan, thanked the judge and jury for delivering justice and spoke of his brother's unfailing kindness. Morgan's sister, Lovie Benson, also forgave Kerr but expressed her fear that he would harm someone else if ever released. The conviction and sentence brought a measure of closure to a case that began with an act of compassion and ended in a senseless tragedy. Kerr later appealed his conviction, but it was upheld by the Ohio Court of Appeals in December 2016. The case is now considered solved.