In brief
On Thursday, a jury in Phoenix convicted 43-year-old Cleophus Cooksey Jr. for a series of murders that occurred over three weeks in 2017. The charges include the deaths of his mother and stepfather, a security guard, and a woman who was sexually assaulted and slain. Prosecutors plan to seek the death penalty, with the sentencing phase set to begin next week. Cooksey, who has denied the accusations, claimed a rush to judgment led to his conviction. Family members of the victims expressed relief as they await justice.
Phoenix (AP) — An Arizona jury convicted a man Thursday on eight murder charges for a string of fatal shootings in metro Phoenix over a three-week span in 2017. The jury in Phoenix also found Cleophus Cooksey Jr., 43, guilty of crimes including kidnapping, sexual assault, and armed robbery. The sentencing portion of the trial begins Monday. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty. The victims included Cooksey’s mother and stepfather, a security guard walking to his girlfriend’s apartment, and a woman whose body was found in an alley after she was sexually assaulted. Cooksey, an aspiring musician, knew some of the victims but wasn’t acquainted with others, authorities said. He maintained the allegations against him were false, looking down at the defense table as the verdict was read. Adriana Rodriguez, the daughter of victim Maria Villanueva, broke into tears after the verdict. He took my mom, the only support system that I had, Rodriguez said outside court. The killings began four months after Cooksey was released from prison on a manslaughter conviction from a 2001 strip club robbery. Based on trial evidence, the killings started with Parker Smith and Andrew Remillard, who were shot dead while in their vehicle on Nov. 27, 2017. Various other murders and assaults soon followed. A friend of Cooksey’s mother condemned his actions, arguing that such brutality, especially against family members, deserves the harshest punishment. Investigators found multiple links connecting him to the crime spree, including DNA evidence. Cooksey had previously claimed he was only a musician and denied involvement in the killings, labeling the charges as false accusations. The arraignment set the stage for Cooksey's sentence and the emotional responses of victims' families, who seek justice for their loved ones.