Detective Lucas Fuller testified Tuesday that Laura Lee Morgan told him she bought crack cocaine from "the dope man" before and after killing her 73-year-old longtime companion with a crowbar.
General Sessions Court Judge Christie Sell bound charges of first-degree murder and especially aggravated robbery against the 48-year-old Ms. Morgan to the Grand Jury.
The detective said he was summoned on Jan. 26 to the house at 3401 S. Orchard Knob Ave., where Ms. Morgan lived with the victim, James Masingill.
He said they had been together for 15 years.
He said the victim was sprawled in a glider rocker with blood covering him, the walls, ceiling and floor. He said his face was mangled from an approximate 17 blows.
Detective Fuller said Ms. Morgan, who is a double amputee with no legs, was waiting on police on the front porch.
She later gave a statement in which she said Mr. Masingill was addicted to the scratch-off lottery. She said that day he left to buy some tickets, which she said upset her. She said while he was gone she called "the dope man" and he brought her $80 worth of crack cocaine, which she smoked. She said Mr. Masingill returned from getting the lottery tickets to say he had won $40. He gave her $20 of his winnings.
She said she told him about buying the crack and he became angry, then she said he came after her with a crowbar. She said she snatched it away from him and began hitting him in the head repeatedly.
The detective said he saw no injuries on Ms. Morgan and found no signs of a struggle. He did find the blood-covered crowbar.
Ms. Morgan said as her companion lay dead in one corner of the room she dialed up "the dope man" again and he brought her $200 more of crack. She said she smoked it before summoning police.
Detective Fuller said Ms. Morgan refused to identify "the dope man."