The death of a missing man from Atlanta who disappeared on the Fourth of July while visiting his family in Alabama has been ruled a homicide, and authorities are now trying to locate his partner, Birmingham police announced Monday .

Deundray Cottrell, 31, and his partner, Julian Taylor Morris, 31, arrived in Alabama on July 4 to visit Cottrells sister and celebrate the holiday with Cottrells family, according to reports by AL.com .

Angelica Harris, Cottrells sister, told the outlet that she last saw her brother at around 10 that night, when he said he was going upstairs to check on his dog because of the fireworks. But, she said, Morris told the family that Cottrell ran off through the backyard.

While searching for Cottrell, the family found one of his shoes and his cellphone and reported him missing to police.