Father and son to face trial for allegedly killing Fresno man who refused to move out of home
The father and son who are charged with killing a 44-year-old man last year are headed for a jury trial in Fresno County Superior Court on June 2.
Kevin Archie Cooper, 50, and his 25-year-old son Aaron Cooper were arraigned Thursday before Judge Wayne Ellison. They pleaded not guilty to murder.
The two men are accused of killing Michael Williams, who was found dead inside a northwest Fresno home on Feb. 22, 2021.
Detectives said Williams was shot and killed after he refused to leave the home of his friend Christopher Gayer.
During a preliminary hearing last month, Gayer testified that he asked the Coopers to help him convince Williams to leave.
Gayer testified that he had offered Williams a place to stay since he was living out of his car. But after a few weeks, Gayer said Williams began threatening him and Gayer wanted him out.
The Coopers agreed to help and went to Gayer’s home to confront Williams.
Leesa Pena, who was with Williams the night he was murdered, testified during the preliminary hearing that two men came to the house around 6 p.m. and forcibly told Williams he needed to get out.
One of the men was holding a handgun, but she wasn’t sure who he was since they had masks on, she testified.
One of the men told Williams to leave, he refused and told the men they were going to have to shoot him, Pena testified. Pena said she heard a gun shot and then saw Williams drop to the ground.
The Coopers’ next court appearance will be May 19 for a trial confirmation hearing. A tentative trial date is set for June 2 in Dept. 53. The Coopers remain in the Fresno County Jail with bail set at $1.5 million each.
This story was originally published April 14, 2022 at 4:31 PM.
