35yo grinning Mississippi man in underwear sentenced for double murder

A bizarre viral arrest photo shows a heavily-tattooed man grinning while wearing only his underwear after being taken into custody.

Police arrested the man, Matthew Brian Kidd, in late August 2025 at a hotel in Brandon, Mississippi, in connection with the murders of William Earl Morris and Christian Storey. Not long afterward, in late September 2025, a judge sentenced Kidd to life in prison without parole.

What happened to Morris and Storey?

According to the Rankin County District Attorney’s Office, the two murders took place in late August 2025. On August 27, police found Morris, 36, dead at his home in Rankin County, near Jackson. Morris had been shot multiple times after someone forced their way into his residence. Two days later, on August 29, Christian Storey, 31, was found fatally shot in a house on Gayden Street, a crime that also involved a forced entry and the theft of some property.

Investigators found that Kidd, 35, and Morris had been acquaintances for several years. Morris’ family told police that the two had recently argued over a truck, and Morris reported that Kidd had threatened to kill him. A motive for the second murder was not made public, and authorities have not disclosed any connection between Kidd and Storey.

Justice swiftly served

After the shootings, law enforcement identified Kidd as a suspect. On August 29, police located him at a hotel in Brandon and arrested him without incident. A weapon was recovered, and Kidd reportedly confessed to both murders.

Kidd was charged with murder, capital murder, burglary, and home invasion. During his initial court appearance, his bond was denied for the murder charges. He later waived his right to a preliminary hearing, which accelerated the legal process.

On September 9, 2025, Kidd pleaded guilty to both murder and capital murder charges. Rankin County Circuit Court Judge Dewey Arthur immediately sentenced him to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Because Kidd pleaded guilty, there was no jury trial. Prosecutors cited the strength of the evidence, including Kidd’s confession, the recovered weapon, and forensic evidence, as the reason for the swift resolution of the case.