Do you know who murdered Gary Cooley and Regina Keck in 2014? In the spring of 2014, concern grew among the colleagues of Gary Cooley when the dedicated non-profit worker failed to arrive for his shift at the Knox Housing Partnership. It was uncharacteristic of the 57-year-old male, described as a man who led a life of service, to miss work without notice. On the morning of April 29th, a coworker was dispatched to his home on Alma Avenue in East Knoxville to check on him.
The employee discovered the front door ajar, a chilling sign that something was amiss, and immediately contacted the Knoxville Police Department.
Upon entering the residence, officers were met with a tragic scene. Gary Cooley and a 46-year-old woman, later identified as Regina Keck, were found deceased inside the home. Investigators determined that both had suffered from apparent gunshot wounds. Evidence at the scene suggested a forced entry into the house, leading police to investigate the case as a double homicide. The nature of the relationship between Cooley and Keck was not immediately clear to authorities.
Despite the initial investigation and subsequent efforts over the years, the double murder of Gary Cooley and Regina Keck remains unsolved. No arrests have ever been made in the case, and no suspects have been publicly identified. The Knoxville Police Department has periodically revisited the cold case, appealing to the public for any information that might lead to a breakthrough. Friends, family, and former colleagues remember Gary Cooley as a caring and gentle man who dedicated two decades of his life to helping others in the Knoxville community, making his violent and unresolved death all the more senseless to those who knew him.
