10th Tacoma Homicide of 2022: Heather Cooper

We don’t know a lot about Heather Cooper’s last day. On the afternoon of February 28, 2022, Heather, 31 was hanging out with her husband at a motel at the Holiday Inn Express in the 8400 block of Hosmer. Around 3:30am, there was an argument and her husband shot her twice.

This was not the first time he’d fired a gun at her. Previously he’d fired four bullets at her while they were in their van. Friends told her to get away from him, but like so many people in abusive relationships, she chose to see the best in him. After he shot his wife, he put her in the van, and drove to the 4900 block of Burlington Avenue where he stopped the van in the road, left it running, and asked for help from nearby homeless encampment. Someone called 911. Police arrived to find Heather’s husband riding a bicycle and covered in blood. Heather Cooper was dead in the van when police arrived becoming the tenth Tacoma homicide of 2022.

Heather had four children and they kept her playful and silly. It’s impossible to see photos of her with her children and not see the love there.

Heather’s husband was a known gang member with an extensive criminal record. He was arrested on the scene and charged with second degree murder and weapons violations as he was not allowed to possess firearms.

Domestic violence is an unfortunate reality for so many in our community. All too often these relationships end this way with one of the couple murdered.

As always, the comment section is reserved for those who knew Heather and want to share, thoughts or memories of her.

-          Jack Cameron

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The National Domestic Violence Hotline available 24 hours a day: 800-799-7233

If you’re in a Domestic Violence situation in Tacoma click here for resources.

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