Teen accused of setting fire that killed baby brother collapses in court

YORK COUNTY, S.C. — Matt Morgan cried, dropped his head into his hands and often opened his mouth as if he wanted to shout during a preliminary hearing Tuesday on charges of murder and arson.
 
Morgan is charged with setting a fire that killed his 14-month-old half-brother, Joshua Hill.
 
The deadly fire happened March 6 in a trailer park on Catawba Church Road outside Rock Hill.

Past coverage:

Family of teen charged with arson, murder of brother criticizes deputies
Officials: Teenager arrested after half-brother dies in fire

Deputy solicitor Willy Thompson said Morgan showed malice that justifies the murder charge because he waited outside the burning home, didn't call for help and didn't try to help his baby brother.

During testimony, South Carolina Law Enforcement Division agent William Keller said his investigation revealed that Morgan started two fires in the mobile home that morning.

One fire was started in a bedroom where the toddler slept and another was started in the living room five to 10 seconds later.

Both fires were set near space heaters to make them look accidental, Keller said.
 
He also said a burn pattern showed that something ignited in the bedroom and flames ran from the door all the way to the head of the crib where the toddler slept. Investigators did not find traces of accelerants, but Keller said there was a lot of alcohol in the home that could have been used, and traces of it would have likely burned up.
 
Morgan first said in interviews that he didn't know how the fire in the living room started, then claimed that he threw a pillow at a space heater, which ignited when he fell asleep, Keller said.
 
He eventually said that he lit the pillow with a cigarette lighter and was tossing it up in the air, watching the pillow burn, authorities said.
 
Later, he admitted that he had also started a fire in the master bedroom, where his brother was sleeping, according to investigators.
 
"It's never been my experience that someone would accidentally set a fire in the room with a 14-month-old, not attempt to put it out or to get the 14-month-old out, then accidentally set a fire in another room," Keller said.
 
On cross-examination, deputy public defender B.J. Barrowclough questioned the long hours that Morgan was alone with police under interrogation.
 
"Was he not able to see his parents for four or five hours while you were interviewing him?" he asked.
 
Barrowclough also questioned whether or not the teen even understood what police were asking him.
 
Morgan's mother, Julie Hill, believes that her son's confession came under severe intimidation.
 
"Our son was in there with two large police officers with guns, with their scary faces in his face." she said.
 
Myke and Julie Hill said their son is autistic, suffers from learning disabilities and struggles to read and write or understand commands.
 
His father believes that Morgan is innocent.
 
"If I had any doubt, any idea in my head that one of my sons could kill the other one, I wouldn't be here right now," Hill said.
 
However, prosecutors said Morgan admitted to police that he always had a fascination with fire and had set one in the house only two weeks before.  
 
His grandmother, Deborah Morgan, discounted that claim.
 
"What child isn't fascinated by fire? He may have set some leaves on fire before, but what child hasn't?" she said.
 
Morgan collapsed in tears after Magistrate Dan Malphrus ruled that there was probable cause to move forward with charges of murder and arson.
 
Court bailiffs had to lift Morgan up off the floor and lead him back to the detention center.  
 
Barrowclough told reporters that he did not think the state had enough evidence to support a murder charge, and that he asked that it be reduced to involuntary manslaughter.
 
He said they plan to enter a plea of not guilty to murder.
 
A trial date has not been set.

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