The trial of an Arizona man accused of killing eight people over three weeks, culminating in the murder of his own mother, began this week.
Prosecutors plan to present evidence linking Cleophus Cooksey, 43, to each killing during opening statements, according to the Associated Press and The Arizona Republic.
Police say they discovered a gun used in several killings, a necklace belonging to one of the victims, and another victim’s car keys in an alley.
Cooksey’s trial began on Monday, more than seven years after the alleged killings, due to pandemic-related delays, according to the outlet.
If convicted, the prosecution intends to seek the death penalty. Cooksey has pleaded not guilty, and his defense claims that the charges against him are false.
According to The Arizona Republic, Maricopa County Prosecutor Josh Maxwell began the state’s case by projecting the names and faces of the eight individuals killed.
He told the jury that the majority of them were killed when they were most vulnerable: sitting in a car, carrying groceries, at home with their families, or walking alone.
Parker Smith and Andrew Remillard were the first victims, shot while sitting in a vehicle in a parking lot in November 2017, according to the Associated Press.
Salim Richards, a security guard, was shot and killed while on his way to his girlfriend’s apartment less than a week later. Prosecutors claim that Cooksey and Richards got into a physical altercation, and Cooksey fled with Richards’ gun and necklace.
Latorrie Beckford and Kristopher Cameron were killed in separate apartment shootings in Glendale, according to the outlet.
Maria Villanueva was supposed to meet her boyfriend at his Glendale apartment, but her body was discovered in a Phoenix alley after she was allegedly sexually assaulted.
According to the Associated Press, Cooksey drove away in her vehicle after her DNA was allegedly discovered on her body.
In December 2017, Cooksey was arrested after police discovered him with blood on his hands at his mother’s home, according to The Arizona Republic. Police found blood on the walls, as well as the bodies of his mother, Rene Cooksey, and her husband, Edward Nunn.
According to the outlet, Cooksey’s lawyer, Robert Reinhardt, claimed that the prosecution failed to establish a motive for the killings, calling them “random and unrelated.”
“You did not hear anything about premeditation. According to the outlets, the state claimed that in incident No. 1, Mr. Cooksey simply went up and shot them, but there is no rhyme or reason to any of that,” Reinhardt stated in court.
Cooksey’s trial is expected to last more than eight months, according to the outlets, which cited a Maricopa County Superior Court spokesperson.
