MEDIA IGNORED This Arizona Rapper Who Went on a Killing Spree, Murdered At Least 9 People

An Arizona man is accused of a stunning murder spree in which he killed nine people in three weeks -- a rampage that would make him one of the most prolific serial killers in the state's history.



Cleophus Cooksey Jr., 35, was arrested on Dec. 17, 2017, after police responded to a call of shots fired in Phoenix. When officers arrived they found Cooksey’s mother and stepfather dead. Police said Thursday they did not link Cooksey to the other homicides until he was in custody.



Police said investigators used shelling casings to link the murders. Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton said new technology allowed officers to determine the evidence was linked to the suspect quickly.



Cooksey's other alleged victims include the brother of his ex-girlfriend and various men and women of black, white and Hispanic race and ethnicity, AZ Central reported.



The victims include:



- Two men, Andrew Remillard, 27, and Parker Smith, 21, who were discovered dead Nov. 27.



- One man, Salim Richards, 35, found critically wounded on Dec. 2, and later died at the scene. It was not immediately clear if Richards knew the suspect. Police said there were signs of robbery at the crime scene and a hangun was appeared to have been taken.



- On Dec. 11, Jesus Bonifacio Real, 25, the brother of Cooksey’s former girlfriend, was murdered.



- On Dec. 13, Latorrie Beckford, 29, was shot and killed.



- On Dec. 16, 2017, Kristopher Cameron, 21, was discovered shot to death in a field. Police said Cameron appeared to have met with the suspect for a drug interaction. On the same day, Maria Villanueva, 43, was found dead. Villanueva was kidnapped from her car after the suspect approached her vehicle. The two drove off before Villanueva was found with signs of sexually assault and murdered, police said.



- On Dec. 17, Rene Cooksey, 56, the suspect’s mother, and his stepfather, Edward Nunn, 54, were shot and killed. Cooksey was then arrested.