In the winter of 2017, a series of tragic events unfolded in Phoenix, Arizona, culminating in the death of 56-year-old Rene Cooksey. On the evening of December 17th, police responded to a call of shots fired at an apartment complex in central Phoenix. Upon their arrival, an officer encountered a scene that would unravel a story of familial turmoil and lead to the capture of a serial killer.
The officer noticed blood on the patio and screen door of an apartment, and when he knocked, he was met by Cleophus Cooksey Jr., Rene's son.
Cleophus attempted to explain the blood as a result of a small cut on his hand, claiming no one else was in the apartment. However, his agitated demeanor and threatening statements toward the officer raised suspicion, leading to his detainment. A subsequent search of the apartment revealed a gruesome discovery; the bodies of Rene Cooksey and her husband, Edward Nunn, were found on the living room floor. Both had been fatally shot, and a handgun was discovered on a nearby couch. Cleophus Cooksey Jr. was immediately arrested at the scene.
Investigations following the arrest painted a grim picture of the family's life leading up to the murders. Cleophus had been released from prison earlier that year and had been living with his mother and stepfather. However, escalating family turmoil had resulted in Rene and Edward asking him to leave their home. It is believed that he returned to the apartment in December and shot his mother and stepfather.
The arrest of Cleophus Cooksey Jr. for the murder of his mother and stepfather was just the beginning of a much larger and more terrifying story. As the investigation deepened, ballistic evidence and DNA testing linked him to a string of other homicides that had occurred in the Phoenix area over a three-week period. In total, he was connected to seven other murders. In October 2025, a jury convicted Cleophus Cooksey Jr. on eight counts of murder, including for the death of his mother, Rene Cooksey. He is now facing the death penalty for his crimes.
