Poker Writer
The man convicted of the murder of poker player Susie Zhao was denied his final appeal earlier this month by the Michigan Supreme Court. Jeffery Bernard Morris has no further legal recourse and will serve out his life sentence.
Morris was convicted of first-degree premeditated murder in October 2022 for Zhao’s murder, which had shaken the poker community two years earlier. He was sentenced to life in prison without any possibility of parole.
The horrific murder occurred in July 2020. Zhao had moved to Michigan from Los Angeles to be closer to family during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The details of the case are extremely brutal. Zhao had been bound with zip-ties, tortured, and sexually assaulted before being burned alive.
Morris had a lengthy criminal history before the murder, with convictions dating back to 1989. He was also a registered sex offender.
Morris’ trial did not begin until more than two years after the murder, when he was finally convicted and brought to justice with a life in prison sentence.
Morris sough appeal partially on the grounds that the court had violated his right to a speedy trial. He also claimed multiple errors by a prior defense attorney had been costly to his case. But the appeals court denied the claim and affirmed the conviction.
The final denial of appeal closes the book on the case and Morris’ prospects of rejoining society.
Remembering Zhao
The 33-year-old Zhao, known as “Susie Q” in the poker world, immigrated to the U.S.A. from China when she was 8 years old. She grew up in Michigan and went on to study psychology and business at Northwestern University before getting into poker in the early 2010s. She was a regular commentator on “Live at the Bike” and also played frequently in the Los Angeles area.
Her best career poker results included three cashes in the World Series of Poker Main Event in 2012, 2015, and 2017. The 2012 run wound up being her deepest finish, 90th place.
Several in the poker community counted her as a friend. These include Brandon Shack-Harris, Allen Kessler, Xuan Liu, and Ronnie Bardah.
