In a tragic turn of events fueled by suspicion and jealousy, 23-year-old Spc. Shakir D. Cook-Troynel, a male soldier stationed at Fort Carson, was shot and killed in Colorado Springs. The incident, which unfolded in the early morning hours of November 17, 2018, was not a random act of violence but the culmination of a volatile domestic situation involving a fellow soldier. The man responsible for his death was 20-year-old Pfc.
Isaiah Towns, who was married to a woman with whom Cook-Troynel had a past relationship and a child.
The night of the fatal shooting, Towns suspected his wife of infidelity with Cook-Troynel. His suspicions led him to his wife's home near Airport Road and Murray Boulevard, where he reportedly heard sexual noises coming from the master bedroom. Entering the room, he discovered his wife, who had asked for a divorce earlier that day, partially nude and found Cook-Troynel in the closet. Towns, armed with a pistol, confronted them, intending to 'frighten and intimidate Cook-Troynel to get answers.'
A struggle ensued between Towns and his wife, who tried to push him out of the room. During the altercation, Towns' pistol discharged, firing a single shot that struck Cook-Troynel in the upper torso. After the shooting, Towns fled the scene, discarding the weapon near a dumpster. He was later apprehended by the Colorado Springs police and, after initially giving a false story about a break-in, confessed to the shooting.
Isaiah Towns was arrested and charged with second-degree murder. He was held at the El Paso County Jail on a $250,000 bond. The legal proceedings that followed revealed the complex history between the three individuals, including the prior relationship and shared child between Cook-Troynel and Towns' wife. Ultimately, a jury found Towns guilty of the lesser charges of felony reckless manslaughter and felony menacing in January 2020. The defense had argued that the shooting was an accident, a 'scare tactic' that went horribly wrong during the struggle with his wife.
