A Phoenix jury on Thursday found Cleophus Cooksey Jr., 43, guilty on eight counts of first-degree murder, for a spree of fatal shootings that unfolded over about three weeks in late 2017 in Phoenix and Glendale, Arizona. In addition to the murder convictions, Cooksey was also found guilty of kidnapping, sexual assault, and armed robbery.
The violence began on November 27, 2017, when two men — Parker Smith (21) and Andrew Remillard (27) — were found fatally shot inside a parked vehicle. Over the following weeks, several more deaths followed. On December 2, Salim Richards, 31, was shot while walking to his girlfriend’s apartment. On December 13, Latorrie Beckford, 29, was found shot in a Glendale apartment complex. Two days later, on December 15, there were two more killings: Kristopher Cameron, 21, was shot at another Glendale complex, and Maria Villanueva, 43, was abducted, sexually assaulted, and later found dead in a Phoenix alley.
The spree ended on December 17 when police responded to a shots-fired call at Cooksey’s mother’s home. Inside, they discovered the bodies of his mother, Rene Cooksey (56), and her husband, Edward Nunn (54). In that apartment, authorities found a 9 mm Glock linked to earlier victims, vehicle keys belonging to Villanueva, and a necklace belonging to Richards, which Cooksey was allegedly wearing at the time of his arrest. Investigators never uncovered a clear motive, and while some victims were known to Cooksey, others appeared to be strangers.
Cooksey’s trial was repeatedly delayed, largely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Throughout proceedings, he maintained his innocence, claiming he was a music artist, not a killer. When the verdicts were read, he reportedly kept his head down, showing no visible reaction. The punishment phase is set to begin Monday, where prosecutors will pursue the death penalty.
Relatives of the victims expressed relief that the verdict finally brought some closure. Adriana Rodriguez, daughter of Maria Villanueva, said through tears, “He took my mom, the only support system that I had.” A longtime acquaintance of Cooksey’s mother and stepfather called the crimes monstrous and urged that he face the harshest punishment.
Cooksey already had a violent past, having been convicted of manslaughter in a 2001 strip-club robbery case. He was released from prison only about four months before the 2017 shootings began, setting the stage for one of Phoenix’s most chilling crime waves.
