The death of an Atlanta doctorate student found Saturday in Birmingham, two days after he disappeared from a family holiday gathering, has been ruled a homicide by the Jefferson County Coroner/Medical Examiner’s Office.

Birmingham police announced the determination Sunday. Authorities have not said how 31-year-old Deundray Cottrell was killed.

The search continues for 31-year-old Julian Taylor Morris, who authorities and family have said had a romantic relationship with Cottrell. Fitzgerald called Morris a person of interest.

Morris has not been seen since Friday morning.

Cottrell was last seen about 10 p.m. Thursday in the 7000 block of Fourth Avenue South.

His sister, Angelica Harris, said Cottrell and Morris got to Birmingham about 6 p.m. Thursday to celebrate the holiday. It was her brother’s first time seeing the new home she shares with her husband and children.

Cottrell lived in Atlanta where he worked in marketing and was working toward his doctorate degree.

About 10 p.m., Cottrell said he was going upstairs to check on his dog, because of the fireworks.

“He went and checked on the dog and I never saw him again,’’ Harris said.

Morris also was in the house and told family they had a conversation and the Cottrell had left and took off running through the backyard.

Family members found Cottrell’s sunglasses, cell phone and one of his shoes when they began their search for him. Morris, family said, was acting erratically and not like they’ve known him to act for the past three years. The family immediately began a search and eventually called police to file a missing person’s report.

Harris said they later learned he wasn’t actually entered into the system as missing until Friday morning.

Cottrell’s family searched for him throughout Friday and Friday night but to no avail. They did track down Ring camera footage at several homes that showed Cottrell running through yards, and even jumping over a gate.

“It looked like he was looking for refuge,’’ Harris said. “He was running for his life.”

Morris then possibly went missing on Friday. Cottrell’s family saw Morris Friday morning but did not see him after that.

Officer Truman Fitzgerald said also on Friday, East Precinct officers began searching the area where Cottrell was last seen. They recovered some of his clothing, and a community member provided officers with surveillance footage of Cottrell walking in the area.

On Saturday, family again launched another search, as did Birmingham police.

“He’s a well-loved, well-known, good hearted person and there’s a lot of people hurting from him being gone,’’ Harris said before Cottrell was found dead. “What’s happening doesn’t make sense.”

Just before 3 p.m., officers found Cottrell dead in or near an abandoned house, and his family was notified.

Morris was the last person who saw Cottrell alive, Fitzgerald said. He is described as a Black male, 5-feet, 6-inches tall and weighing 160 pounds.

Cottrell is Birmingham’s 81st homicide this year. Of those, eight have been ruled justifiable and therefore aren’t deemed criminal.

In all of Jefferson County, there have been 104 homicides, including the 81 in Birmingham.

Anyone with information is asked to call homicide detectives at 205-254-7777 or Crime Stoppers at 205-254-7777.