Blood-covered man goes to police station, admits he fatally stabbed friend, prosecutors say

The Leighton Criminal Courthouse at 26th and California Avenue. | Sun-Times file

A man charged with stabbing his longtime friend to death walked into a police station and admitted to the killing while covered in the victim’s blood, prosecutors said in court Friday.

Larry Morris told officers at the Grand Crossing District station that he killed 61-year-old Kevin Sudduth Sr. because he believed Sudduth had stolen his identity and $80,000 from him, Cook County prosecutors said.

Morris, 60, who has been diagnosed with schizophrenia, told officers he believed Sudduth was taking is Social Security checks, but that he had “caught up” Sudduth and “put the knife on him,” Assistant State’s Attorney James Murphy said.

A bloody steak knife was found in Morris’ coat pocket, prosecutors said.

Larry Morris

An hour earlier, Morris told officers he went to Sudduth’s apartment in the 8200 block of South Indiana Avenue and was buzzed into the building by the victim, prosecutors said. After Sudduth let Morris inside his home, they began arguing.

Morris then stabbed Sudduth more than 85 times, prosecutors said, before fleeing the building and going to the police station.

A maintenance man identified Morris as the person he saw leaving the apartment building that afternoon and said he noticed Morris’ hands were covered in blood, prosecutors said. Sudduth daughter found her father’s body inside his apartment after the building’s landlord called her.

Morris was charged Thursday with a count of first-degree murder.

Sudduth’s daughter told police her father and Morris had been friends for years.

Sudduth would buy groceries for Morris and pay his phone bill at times, as well as allow Morris to stay at his home, prosecutors said. Sudduth’s daughter said Morris never had checks or any mail forwarded to her father’s home.

Morris did not appear at the hearing Friday because he was hospitalized, prosecutors said.

An assistant public defender could provide no additional information about Morris, saying they hadn’t spoken yet.

Judge Susana Ortiz ordered Morris held without bail and set his next hearing for Dec. 18.