Defendant stands before court, charged with eighthomicides that rocked the Phoenix metropolitan area in 2017.
The dark veil that had enshrouded the city of Phoenix in 2017 finally began to lift when the police caught a break in a series of fatal shootings that had left the community fearing for their lives. The break came when authorities were summoned to a grisly scene at a blood-soaked apartment where they arrested a suspect identified as Cleophus Cooksey Jr.
Authorities soon discovered evidence at the crime scene connecting Cooksey to four additional killings. They found a firearm used in several of the murders, a necklace belonging to a victim, and the car keys of a lady whose partially naked body was found in an alley.
Cooksey's trial commenced more than seven years later, following numerous delays owing to the pandemic. He faces charges of murder and other offenses linked to a total of eight killings in Phoenix and its neighboring city, Glendale, over a three-week period. If found guilty, prosecutors plan to seek the death penalty. Cooksey has steadfastly maintained his innocence and pleaded not guilty.
During the trial's opening statements to a jury of 22, with 10 of them serving as alternates, the prosecutor painted a chilling picture, saying the victims all shared a common vulnerability at the time of their demonic demise.
"Welcome to a classic whodunit, dear jurors. The evidence will reveal the criminal mastermind behind these heinous murders stands before you, none other than the accused, Cleophus Emmanuel Cooksey," said the prosecutor, pointing accusingly at Cooksey.
The defense attorney, however, argued for a fair and impartial jury, stating that the prosecution had failed to offer a motive for the crimes and labeling them as "random and unrelated."
"You haven't heard anything about premeditation. The state's arguments point to Cooksey acting impulsively in these cases, but there's no sensible pattern to the carnage," the defense attorney said.
In past years, two other serial shooting cases had gripped metro Phoenix, prompting some citizens to stay indoors after dusk or avoid freeways where the killings occurred. Unlike those cases, the spree of killings Cooksey is charged with didn't unfold over a prolonged period and remained relatively unnoticed until his arrest.
The trial is expected to last over eight months, said Vincent Funari, a spokesperson for the Maricopa County Superior Court.
The Victims:
The first of the eight murders took place on November 27, 2017. By that time, Cooksey had been out of prison for four months after serving a sentence for his role in a 2001 strip club robbery that ended in a fatal shooting.
Cooksey had personal ties with some of the victims, while others were complete strangers. Most of the murders took place after dark. Police never disclosed a motive but attributed the crimes to Cooksey.
Parker Smith and Andrew Remillard were the first victims, gunned down while seated in a parking lot. Five days later, security guard Salim Richards was fatally shot on the way to his girlfriend's apartment. Authorities believe Cooksey and Richards engaged in a physical altercation, with Cooksey making off with Richards' gun and necklace after the scuffle.
Latorrie Beckford and Kristopher Cameron were killed in separate shootings at apartment complexes in Glendale. Maria Villanueva was expected at her boyfriend's apartment in Glendale, but police believe Cooksey stole her car and ultimately abandoned her body, partially clothed and sexually assaulted, in a Phoenix alley.
Finally, on December 17, 2017, Cooksey opened the door when officers responding to a report of gunfire showed up at his mother's apartment. Upon noticing a copious amount of blood, Cooksey claimed a self-inflicted wound and maintained that he was the only person at home. Cooksey's mother, Rene Cooksey, and stepfather, Edward Nunn, were found dead inside. Before his detention, Cooksey reportedly threatened to slit an officer's throat.
The Evidence against Cooksey:
In the apartment's living room, investigators unearthed Richards' firearm, which later linked Cooksey to the killings of Beckford, Cameron, and Villanueva. The keys to Villanueva's car were also found there, and Cooksey was seen wearing Richards' necklace when arrested.
In a handwritten letter to a judge in January 2020, Cooksey expressed his eagerness to prove his innocence, stating, "I am a music artist, not a rapist or murderer." Despite Cooksey's desire to expedite his trial, numerous delays occurred due to the pandemic, interfering with the preparation process, including evaluations by experts.
Earlier in the proceedings, Cooksey's attorneys raised questions about the police's claim that Cooksey was a suspect in a ninth killing at the time of his arrest. However, prosecutors declined to charge Cooksey in the December 2017 shooting death of Jesus Real at his home in Avondale. According to authorities, Real's sister had ended their relationship the night before, and prosecutors believed they lacked sufficient evidence for a successful conviction.
Serial Shooting Cases in the Phoenix Area:
Cooksey's arrest came following two serial shooting cases in recent years.
From late August to early September 2015, a total of 11 shootings occurred on freeways. No one was gravely injured when eight vehicles were peppered with bullets, three others with projectiles like BBs or pellets, and a 13-year-old sustained minor injuries from broken glass. Charges against the only suspect apprehended in the shootings were eventually dropped, with the suspect later securing a court order stating he was officially cleared of the allegations.
The following serial shooting case unfolded over nearly a one-year period, ending in July 2016. Aaron Juan Saucedo, a bus driver, has been indicted for first-degree murder and other charges in the attacks, which claimed nine lives. He was apprehended in April 2017. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty against Saucedo, who has pleaded not guilty. His trial is scheduled for December.
- The prosecution presented the case as a classic whodunit, implying that the evidence would reveal Cooksey as the mastermind behind the heinous murders.
- The evidence against Cooksey included the firearm used in several murders, a necklace belonging to a victim, and the car keys of another victim, which were found at the crime scene.
- The trial in the Cooksey case, following numerous delays due to the pandemic, is expected to last over eight months, making it one of the longest trials in general news and crime-and-justice categories.
- The spree of killings Cooksey is charged with, although gripping the metro Phoenix area, did not unfold over a prolonged period like two previous serial shooting cases in the region, making it comparatively less notorious.
