PHOENIX (AP) — An Arizona jury on Thursday sentenced Cleophus Cooksey Jr., 43, to death following a seven-month trial surrounding a series of killings that shook metro Phoenix in 2017. Cooksey was found guilty of murdering eight individuals, including his mother and stepfather, during a three-week terror spree targeting random victims.
Jurors sentenced Cooksey to death for six out of the eight murders, but were deadlocked on the penalties for the killings of his mother and stepfather. The Maricopa County Attorney is now contemplating whether to pursue a retrial for those specific sentences or opt for life imprisonment instead.
The investigation revealed a chain of tragic events, as victims included a security guard shot while walking to his girlfriend's apartment and a woman who was kidnapped and later discovered deceased in an alley. Evidence linking Cooksey to these crimes included a firearm and personal items from the victims found at his mother’s residence. Authorities stated they had not established a clear motive behind his crimes.
Cooksey was apprehended on December 17, 2017, after police responded to a shots-fired call at his mother’s home, where officers encountered a large amount of blood and subsequently uncovered two bodies. Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell expressed her firm belief that the death penalty is necessary in this case, calling it a reflection of the evil involved in preying on vulnerable individuals.
Cooksey’s case marks a grim chapter in the numerous serial shooting incidents that have occurred in the Phoenix area, including previous high-profile cases leading to arrests and ongoing trials against other alleged perpetrators.
Jurors sentenced Cooksey to death for six out of the eight murders, but were deadlocked on the penalties for the killings of his mother and stepfather. The Maricopa County Attorney is now contemplating whether to pursue a retrial for those specific sentences or opt for life imprisonment instead.
The investigation revealed a chain of tragic events, as victims included a security guard shot while walking to his girlfriend's apartment and a woman who was kidnapped and later discovered deceased in an alley. Evidence linking Cooksey to these crimes included a firearm and personal items from the victims found at his mother’s residence. Authorities stated they had not established a clear motive behind his crimes.
Cooksey was apprehended on December 17, 2017, after police responded to a shots-fired call at his mother’s home, where officers encountered a large amount of blood and subsequently uncovered two bodies. Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell expressed her firm belief that the death penalty is necessary in this case, calling it a reflection of the evil involved in preying on vulnerable individuals.
Cooksey’s case marks a grim chapter in the numerous serial shooting incidents that have occurred in the Phoenix area, including previous high-profile cases leading to arrests and ongoing trials against other alleged perpetrators.
