A Birmingham man has been convicted in the 2018 shooting death of one of his friends.
A Jefferson County jury on Friday found Luther Gray guilty of murder, attempted murder and burglary in a bizarre series of events that happened one January morning last year. Killed was 28-year-old Eric Cotton, a father of three children under the age of 10.
North Precinct officers at 2:48 a.m. that Monday were dispatched to 3633 45th Avenue North after receiving one call of a person down, and another call that someone had been shot. Officers entered the home and found Cotton dead. He had been shot in the back.
Police said at the time officers had previously been alerted that the shooter may still be in the area. Moments later, they were told by dispatchers that an unknown black male - now known to be the suspect - had broken into a home in the 3500 block of 42nd Avenue North and was holding people against their will.
Earlier, the suspect and a woman were inside the home hanging out and drinking when, authorities said, Gray began acting erratic and bizarre. He pulled out two guns and just started firing.
The female ran out of the house and hid in some bushes. Gray went looking for her and then broke into the other home, where there were two children and their grandparents. The suspect then fired shots in that home, but no one was injured.
Nearby police officers rushed to the scene when they heard the shots fired. As they were closing in on the suspect, he jumped out of a back window, got down on the ground and was taken into custody. Gray was taken to UAB Hospital for treatment.
Cotton and Gray were best friends.
Gray has a lengthy criminal record. He previously pleaded guilty second-degree kidnapping and burglary in what appeared to be a domestic violence case. He was sentenced to 15 years in prison, with one year to serve. He also has prior arrests on drug and gun charges.
Shortly after his 2018 arrest, Gray’s probation was revoked based on evidence that he was in possession of a firearm and under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol, court records show. He was sentenced to 15 years, with two years to serve.
Following Cotton’s death, his aunt, Dorothy Lee, said the family was devastated by the loss and thankful for an arrest. "He killed someone that was a friend to him, but he never was a friend to Eric,'' Lee said. "Eric gave him a place to lay his head when his mother wouldn't. Gave him food to eat when he didn't have money or nothing to eat."
The case against Gray was prosecuted by Jefferson County assistant district attorneys Riggs Walker and Ellie Friedman. A sentencing date has been set for Aug. 8.