Jacob Morrill Sentenced to Life for Landlord Murder

Jacob Morrill was sentenced to life in prison on May 11, 2026, after a Rhode Island judge convicted him of first-degree murder for killing his landlord, Xuefeng Wu, with a hatchet on the morning the two were due in court for an eviction hearing. Superior Court Justice William E. Carnes imposed the mandatory life term in Newport County Superior Court, ordering Morrill, 27, of Portsmouth, to serve his sentence at the Adult Correctional Institutions.¹

The Killing on the Morning of the Eviction Hearing

Wu, 50, of Tiverton, owned the two-bedroom rental at 1722 West Main Road in Portsmouth where Morrill lived. Wu had filed to evict Morrill and a co-tenant, who together owed $1,450 in rent as of May 8, 2023, on a home renting for $2,525 a month. Both sides were scheduled in Newport District Court on May 22, 2023.²

That morning, Wu went to the property to check on it. Inside the garage, he and Morrill argued. Morrill struck him repeatedly with a small handheld axe. An autopsy later documented roughly 48 to 49 wounds.³ Morrill dragged the body into woods behind the house, wrapped it in a tarp, and covered it with wire fencing and debris.⁴

Later the same day, Morrill used Wu’s debit card to pay his own utility bill and drove Wu’s vehicle without permission. Both acts became separate charges.¹

The Confession and Arrest

When Wu did not come home, his family called police. Portsmouth officers went to the West Main Road home for a wellness check and initially found nothing suspicious. Morrill told them Wu had come by earlier and then left to attend court in Providence.⁵

Hours later Morrill walked into the police station and told the desk officer he had killed Wu.⁶ He led officers to the body, feet from the house. Detectives executed a search warrant and recovered the axe and dozens of other items. Morrill told police he had “snapped” during the argument.⁷ He was arraigned the next day and held without bail.⁴

A Bench Trial and Conviction on All Three Counts

A Newport County Grand Jury indicted Morrill on August 4, 2023, on three counts: first-degree murder, driving a vehicle without the owner’s consent, and fraudulent use of a credit card over $100.⁸

Morrill waived a jury. His four-day bench trial ran in late February and early March 2026 before Justice Carnes. Assistant Attorney General Eric Batista prosecuted the case with Portsmouth Police Detective Inspector Austin Szczepaniak. The state relied on Morrill’s confession, physical evidence from the property, forensic findings of severe head injuries, financial records tying him to Wu’s debit card, evidence he drove Wu’s car, and the pending eviction as motive.⁹ On March 2, 2026, Justice Carnes found him guilty on all three counts.¹⁰

Life Sentence and the Voices at the Hearing

First-degree murder in Rhode Island carries a mandatory life sentence.¹¹ At the May 11, 2026 hearing, Justice Carnes returned to the autopsy count of roughly 49 blows as he imposed the term.

Batista read a statement from Wu’s wife, who called her husband a “devoted family man who gave his time and energy selflessly to us.” She said that nearly three years on she still could not follow the coverage or come to court, and no longer felt safe. Neither she nor the couple’s teenage daughter attended the sentencing.⁷

Attorney General Peter F. Neronha said in a statement that Morrill “murdered Mr. Wu in a senseless act of violence, and he will now serve life in prison for his brutal crime,” adding that he hoped the sentence would bring the family “some semblance of peace, knowing that justice has finally been served.” Portsmouth Police Chief Brian P. Peters echoed the hope for closure.¹

As of mid-2026, no appeal or motion for a new trial has been reported. Morrill is serving his sentence at the Adult Correctional Institutions.

1
Rhode Island Attorney General. Portsmouth Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for 2023 Murder
2
Newport Daily News. Portsmouth Homicide West Main Road Under Investigation
3
WPRI. Portsmouth Man Convicted of Killing Landlord in Hatchet Attack
4
East Bay RI. Portsmouth Murder Victim Identified as Suspect’s Landlord
5
WPRI. Portsmouth Man Sentenced to Life for Murdering Landlord in 2023
6
NBC 10 WJAR. Portsmouth Homicide Investigation West Main Road
7
NBC 10 WJAR. Portsmouth Man Convicted of Killing His Landlord To Be Sentenced
8
Rhode Island Attorney General. Interim Report Newport County Grand Jury Reported August 4, 2023
9
East Bay RI. Life Sentence in Portsmouth Hatchet Murder
10
Providence Journal. RI Man Facing Eviction Convicted of Killing His Landlord in 2023
11
FindLaw. Rhode Island General Laws § 11-23-2