Phoenix, Arizona — A man was found guilty Thursday of eight counts of murder linked to a series of brutal shootings that claimed random victims and even his own family members over a span of three weeks in late 2017.
Cleophus Cooksey Jr., 43, now faces the possibility of the death penalty when he is sentenced on Monday. His case has drawn considerable attention, especially as it unfolded against a backdrop of fear in the Phoenix metropolitan area, where residents were already on edge following previous serial shooting incidents in 2015.
The string of violent crimes began just months after Cooksey’s release from prison, where he had served time for manslaughter related to a 2001 robbery. Investigators reported that his actions created a climate of terror across the region, particularly as details about his alleged spree emerged only after his arrest in 2018.
Among Cooksey’s victims were two men discovered dead in a parked car and a security guard shot while on his way to visit his girlfriend. One particularly disturbing case involved the kidnapping and murder of Maria Villanueva, whose body was found dumped in an alley. Authorities revealed that DNA evidence linked Cooksey to this crime, which also involved accusations of sexual assault.
Following the verdict, Adriana Rodriguez, the daughter of Villanueva, expressed relief, stating that her family finally found closure after fearing they would never see justice for their loss. “He took my mom, the only support system that I had,” Rodriguez said, visibly emotional.
A close friend of Cooksey’s mother, Eric Hampton, attended the trial and voiced his belief that the defendant merits the death penalty. He reflected on the family’s pain, especially in light of the fact that countless lives were altered due to Cooksey’s actions, including that of his own mother. “He’s a monster, and I’m just hoping that they put him to sleep,” Hampton remarked after the verdict was read.
The timeline of the killings highlighted a chilling pattern. The first two victims were discovered in a vehicle on November 27, 2017. Just days later, Cooksey claimed another life, followed by the separate shootings of two more victims within weeks. His crime spree culminated on December 17, when police responded to a domestic disturbance call at his mother’s home, where they found her and her partner dead.
Cooksey was quickly apprehended under alarming circumstances; officers noted significant blood evidence at the scene, later determined to be linked to several of the earlier shootings. Investigators also discovered firearms and personal items belonging to some of the victims inside the apartment.
Throughout the legal proceedings, Cooksey maintained his innocence and insisted that the charges against him were unfounded, even asserting that he was a musician rather than a murderer. Despite his claims, the evidence presented during the trial painted a starkly different picture.
The trial had been postponed several times due to court delays influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic. During this time, Cooksey’s claim of innocence persisted, yet the prosecution presented an overwhelming case against him.
This case is particularly notable in the context of other serial shootings that have plagued the Phoenix area. In 2015, a series of shootings along local freeways, and another in 2016 that resulted in nine deaths, had already caused significant alarm within the community, with residents wary of violence erupting unexpectedly.
As the sentencing phase approaches, the implications of Cooksey’s actions continue to reverberate through the community, leaving many to grapple with the fear and grief that his actions have caused.