Summary based on the NamUs case record (MP147932)
In the community of Locust Grove, Oklahoma, a sense of concern arose for the well-being of 36-year-old Rickey Dean Cooper. An enrolled member of the Cherokee Nation, Rickey was last seen on January 23, 2021. On that day, he was photographed in front of the Kum & Go convenience store, a local landmark that has since become a Maverik. Following this last visual confirmation, communication from Rickey ceased, and his family neither saw nor heard from him again, prompting them to report him as
a missing person. The Cherokee Nation Marshal Service took the lead in the investigation into his disappearance. However, it has since been reported that Rickey has been found alive.
Details surrounding Rickey's disappearance remained limited for a period of time. At the time he went missing, he was described as being 6 feet 1 inch tall and weighing approximately 240 pounds, with sandy brown, receding hair and brown eyes. He also had a goatee. The photograph taken on the day he was last seen served as the primary clue for investigators and a point of reference for the public. The circumstances leading to his disappearance were not publicly known, leaving his family and community with many unanswered questions and growing apprehension as time passed without any word of his whereabouts.
After a period of uncertainty, Rickey Cooper's case was resolved when he was located alive in Florida in November 2025. His NamUs profile, a national database for missing persons, was subsequently closed. The news of his safe recovery brought an end to the search and a sense of relief to his loved ones and all who were concerned for him. The overview of the case is one of a distressing disappearance that ultimately concluded with a positive outcome, highlighting the importance of community awareness and the efforts of law enforcement in resolving missing persons cases.Last Seen: Jan 23, 2021
