St. Petersburg, Florida Murder Trial Features Dramatic Testimony
Fred Cooper is accused of murdering Steven and Michelle Andrews, a young married couple, in a case that will go to jury deliberations later this week. Law enforcement officials say that Steven and Michelle, both 28, were found dead on December 27, 2005. Both were in the bedroom of their home, where Steven was found shot to death and Michelle asphyxiated. An investigation led to the arrest of Fred Cooper on January 11, 2006.
Florida criminal defense lawyers say that the prosecution has established a strong motive for the slayings: revenge. Detectives pieced together the secrets of Steven's life. Friends and family members had mentioned that the couple's marriage was on the rocks and that Steven might have been having an affair. Eventually, investigators located that woman, Kellie Ballew. Ballew was Cooper's long-time girlfriend; they even had a child together. Prosecutors maintain that Cooper was so enraged to discover the affair between Steven Andrews and Kellie Ballew that he snuck into their home to murder them.
The prosecution has presented evidence showing Cooper returning home on his yellow motorcycle at about 3:00 a.m. the morning of the murders. His gun and the jacket he was wearing that night are nowhere to be found, although he was spotted cleaning the jacket between the time of the murders and his arrest. Cooper's criminal defense attorney has maintained that his client is innocent and that he has nothing to hide. After all, the legal defense team has pointed out, he cooperated all aspects of the investigation, including police searching his home and collecting DNA samples. Nonetheless, aspects of his defense have not gone over effectively. For example, he claimed to have been in touch by phone with Michelle Andrews, but phone records do not support that claim. Likewise, he said he had met up with her in Steven's vehicle, but Steven's father dismissed that as unlikely because Michelle did not drive a stick shift.
The case is expected to go to the jury on Tuesday for deliberations regarding Cooper's guilt or innocence, which the judge in the case hopes to have completed by Friday. After that, if Cooper is found guilty, the case will proceed to the sentencing phase.
The original story is from the Naples Daily News, Jurors hear from lead detective, victims' family in Gateway murder trial.
