In the early morning hours of May 5, 2015, the life of 27-year-old African-American male Diondre Mitchell was tragically cut short in Omaha, Nebraska. Police were called to a residence in the 3200 block of North 28th Street around 4:40 a.m. to investigate a shooting. Inside the home, they discovered Diondre and another man, Lafayette Reed, also 27, unresponsive in the kitchen.
Both men were pronounced dead at the scene from gunshot wounds in what was determined to be a double homicide.
Diondre Dupree Mitchell was born in Omaha on March 29, 1988. He attended Omaha Burke High School, where he played both varsity football and basketball. After graduating, he pursued a career as a barber, obtaining his license from Joseph's Barber College. Known for his fun-loving and outgoing personality, he was a devoted father to four sons. He was raised by his grandparents and was described as a loving son, loyal brother, and a leader among his siblings.
For years, the case of the double homicide remained cold, leaving the families of Diondre Mitchell and Lafayette Reed without answers. The investigation continued, however, with detectives persistently working on the case. A breakthrough finally came in late 2022, more than seven years after the killings. Authorities publicly announced the arrest of a suspect who had been a person of interest for some time.
The suspect was identified as Cavin Cooper. At the time of his arrest in connection with the murders, Cooper was already incarcerated for other serious crimes, including first-degree assault and weapons charges stemming from a 2018 incident. In March 2023, the Metro Fugitive Task Force formally booked Cooper on two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of use of a gun to commit a felony, and one count of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person for his alleged role in the deaths of Diondre Mitchell and Lafayette Reed. The arrest offered a measure of closure to the families who had waited years for justice.
