On February 26, 2023, at about 12:03 p.m., Rowlett officers responded to a shooting in the 2100 block of Lakeview Parkway. They found 22-year-old Rowlett resident Kerry Davante Peter Cottrell critically injured in a shopping center driveway; he was taken to a hospital and pronounced deceased. Investigators determined the shooting occurred during a narcotics transaction involving marijuana and was not random.

The suspect was identified as 40-year-old Virgil Allen Harris of Mesquite, who was reported to use the alias Derrick Deon Dozier and was out on bond for a 2021 aggravated robbery in Dallas County at the time. Harris was located on March 16, 2023, near the 1300 block of Mill Crossing in Garland; after about 40 minutes of negotiation he surrendered and admitted to shooting Cottrell following a confrontation over the exchange. The case was filed with the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office and Harris was arraigned on March 17, 2023, with bond set at two million dollars.

Kerry Cottrell was born March 19, 2000, in New Orleans and moved to Rowlett with his family in 2005. He attended Rowlett schools, enjoyed football, basketball, and video games, and was a father to three children: Kerry Jr., D'kharia, and Kerriona. If anyone witnessed the shooting or the events leading up to it, please share information that could help the investigation.