An Arizona jury has sentenced Cleophus Cooksey Jr., aged 43, to death in connection with a series of brutal killings that occurred in metro Phoenix over a three-week period in 2017, concluding a seven-month-long trial. Cooksey was found guilty of eight murders, including those of his own mother and stepfather. Jurors unanimously voted for the death penalty for six of these convictions, while discussions regarding his parents' murders left them undecided.
The Maricopa County Attorney's office is contemplating whether to pursue a retrial for the mother and stepfather's murder sentences or allow a judge to impose life sentences instead of continuing with the death penalty.
During the chaotic span of violence, victims included two men found shot in a parked vehicle, a security guard killed en route to visit his girlfriend, and a woman who was kidnapped, assaulted, and later found dead in an alley. Authorities utilized DNA evidence and other forensic links found at Cooksey's mother’s residence to establish his connection to the murders.
Cooksey was arrested after a calls regarding shots fired at his mother's apartment led police to discover a gruesome scene. Despite having known some of the victims, he denied any involvement in the crimes. Prosecutors articulated that the severity of his actions warranted the death penalty, emphasizing the calculated nature of targeting vulnerable individuals.
The case recalls recent violent incidents in the region, including multiple serial killings on Phoenix-area freeways and the arrest of another suspect linked to similar barbarities.
