Phoenix serial killer gets death penalty for six 2017 murders

(The Center Square) – A Phoenix jury Thursday sentenced serial killer Cleophus Cooksey Jr. to death for committing six murders over a three-week period in 2017.

Cooksey, 43, was convicted in September of first-degree murder for eight killings in the Phoenix area. The Maricopa County Superior Court jury decided the death penalty would be the punishment in six of the killings, but couldn’t reach a unanimous decision concerning the murders of Cooksey’s mother, Rene Cooksey, and stepfather, Edward Nunn.

Cooksey was found guilty of shooting and killing Parker Smith and Andrew Remillard while they sat in a car. The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office said that started a killing spree that culminated in the murders of Cooksey’s mother and stepfather. In addition to Smith, Remillard, Renee Cooksey and Nunn, Cleophus Cooksey was convicted of killing Salim Richards, Latorrie Beckford, Kristopher Cameron and Maria Villanueva…

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