Bio

Andre D. Morrow was born around 1970. By April 1994, Morrow was in the St. Louis area. The Missouri Supreme Court opinion states that on April 10, 1994, he was introduced to Richard Gooch, whose apartment in St. Louis was known as a place where people could smoke cocaine. Morrow spent much of that afternoon smoking cocaine at Gooch’s apartment before leaving to get money.

The next three days became a violent drug-related crime spree. Court records describe a pattern of car thefts, purse robberies, cocaine use, armed robbery, and two killings. The court later held that the evidence of those other crimes was admissible because the crimes formed one connected sequence and helped show Morrow’s intent, motive, and ability to deliberate.

Morrow’s case became a capital case because he murdered John Koprowski during the attempted theft of Koprowski’s Jeep Grand Cherokee. He was convicted of first-degree murder and related crimes in St. Louis County. At sentencing, the trial court imposed death for Koprowski’s murder, along with a total of 170 years plus life for the other offenses.

Murder Story

On April 10, 1994, Andre D. Morrow was at Richard Gooch’s apartment in St. Louis, where people were smoking cocaine. After spending much of the day there, Morrow left and said he was going to get money. This started a three-day crime spree involving stolen cars, robberies, drug use, and two murders.

Early on April 11, 1994, Morrow stole Lisa Smith’s Chevy Nova from an Amoco gas station while she was paying for gas. Later that morning, he used the stolen car to rob Yn Ye Kuo of her purse near Northwest Plaza. He returned to Gooch’s apartment with about $500, and he and Gooch continued smoking cocaine.

The next day, Morrow and his friend Mario Page abandoned the stolen Chevy Nova and stole another car, a Fiero belonging to Robert Herod. Later, they bought a .38-caliber pistol.

Morrow and Page then saw 18-year-old Roamel Abercrombie walking to a store to buy orange juice. Abercrombie had only one dollar with him. Morrow threatened him, fired a shot into the air, and forced him into a vacant lot. After Abercrombie gave him the dollar, Morrow shot him in the back of the head.

After killing Abercrombie, Morrow and Page drove to Illinois, abandoned the stolen Fiero, and stole another car. They later returned to St. Louis with more cocaine. Morrow told Gooch that he had a problem during a drug deal and had to “put the little guy to sleep.”

The crime spree continued on April 13, 1994. Morrow and Page tried to steal John Koprowski’s Jeep Grand Cherokee. Koprowski resisted and grabbed Morrow’s gun. During the struggle, Morrow got control of the gun again. He took Koprowski’s keys, stood over him, and shot him once in the head.

Morrow and Page drove away in the Jeep even though they saw that Koprowski was still alive. Koprowski later died from the gunshot wound.

After the murder, Morrow continued committing crimes. Richard Gooch eventually went to the police, and Morrow later confessed to the crimes described in court records.

Morrow was tried in St. Louis County for John Koprowski’s murder and related crimes. A jury found him guilty of first-degree murder, robbery, armed criminal action, and stealing. He was sentenced to death for Koprowski’s murder, plus additional prison terms for the other crimes.

The Missouri Supreme Court upheld his conviction and death sentence in 1998. Later, Morrow appealed again. In 2003, his death sentence was changed to life without parole.