Nancy Cooper, 34, of Cary, N.C. #19

[Fairy1]

Well, if you read Brad's affidavit - he does spend a lot of time and words trying to prove what he cannot prove. For instance, the whole conversation about giving Nancy $300 a week - he claims he can prove it because his records will show a regular withdrawal of that amount. In previous lines he admits to giving Nancy cash - so how does he prove that those regular withdrawals were actually given to Nancy ? Unless someone witnessed it or he had her email someone with verification, or sign for it - he can't prove anything he claims except he took out money. So in the affidavit at least, he is attempting to prove something he cannot prove. Seems to be a pattern there.

He cannot prove it. He's been doing damage control from the get go. So much of what is in his custody affidavit has NOTHING to do with his parenting skills, yet EVERYTHING to do with why his wife is dead. Classic. IMO, of course.

 

[CyberPro]

<DISCLAIMER: The following post is predicated on the supposition that BC murdered NC. This might not be true, but it will save a lot of words in the post to get that clear up front>

OK,

I have a feeling that this was not really planned. It might have been, but I have the feeling that all this running to the store was to have an alibi for the survellence video and possible receipts at the store.

I tend to disagree that the (perhaps faked) phone calls would not be overly helpful. While I DO agree that getting the crib cleaned up would be a priority, I also think that if the deed was done earlier, it gives him HOURS of time that did not exist. In other words, if we suppose that she returned home at 1AM, since we understand that she might have been later than 12:30 leaving. Now, there is a confrontation that escalates, or perhaps he was awating her return and the event happens shortly after her arrival. Let's say it was a sudden event, not planned. OK, there is shock. He can't believe it happened, what to do now? His life is going to be ruined! So, he develops a plan. Dump her, clean up and then he knows that he needs to anchor her at a place that will make his running story believable. So, the trips to the store and the phone calls. IF she was alive to make the phone calls, then it was daylight when she calls. It would be harder to believe that she did NOT go for a run and encounter a stranger this way, especially when he is tied to the house taking care of the kids. Dutiful father that he is, he is even willing to cancel his tennis game and let NC have time away from the parenting duties for a while.

There could be up to 5 or 6 hours that do not have to be explained away if she makes this one phone call at about 6:15.

CyberPro

 

[Fairy1]

<DISCLAIMER: The following post is predicated on the supposition that BC murdered NC. This might not be true, but it will save a lot of words in the post to get that clear up front>

OK,

I have a feeling that this was not really planned. It might have been, but I have the feeling that all this running to the store was to have an alibi for the survellence video and possible receipts at the store.

I tend to disagree that the (perhaps faked) phone calls would not be overly helpful. While I DO agree that getting the crib cleaned up would be a priority, I also think that if the deed was done earlier, it gives him HOURS of time that did not exist. In other words, if we suppose that she returned home at 1AM, since we understand that she might have been later than 12:30 leaving. Now, there is a confrontation that escalates, or perhaps he was awating her return and the event happens shortly after her arrival. Let's say it was a sudden event, not planned. OK, there is shock. He can't believe it happened, what to do now? His life is going to be ruined! So, he develops a plan. Dump her, clean up and then he knows that he needs to anchor her at a place that will make his running story believable. So, the trips to the store and the phone calls. IF she was alive to make the phone calls, then it was daylight when she calls. It would be harder to believe that she did NOT go for a run and encounter a stranger this way, especially when he is tied to the house taking care of the kids. Dutiful father that he is, he is even willing to cancel his tennis game and let NC have time away from the parenting duties for a while.

There could be up to 5 or 6 hours that do not have to be explained away if she makes this one phone call at about 6:15.

CyberPro

Yes. IMO - his major mistake was the Carrie story. He purposely chose someone he did not know well and that none of NC's friends knew well. That may have worked, but who knows what Carrie has told LE? For all we know, she had to work that day!

 

[momto3kids]

He cannot prove it. He's been doing damage control from the get go. So much of what is in his custody affidavit has NOTHING to do with his parenting skills, yet EVERYTHING to do with why his wife is dead. Classic. IMO, of course.

I agree 100%.

I have read his affidavits a few times today and shake my head at some of his statements. The affidavit was to say he was a good father, he was doing everything in the best interest of his children, etc...
.
but instead he is talking about the $8k painting NC liked to buy,
explain his trip to HT,
explain his phone system,
where he went to look for NC...hello this is not about being a good husband

IMO he needs to think of an explaination why he went to LTF desk, and why he went to Carey's last if that was where he was supposedly going when he left the house after JA phone call.

 

[Fairy1]

None of his "explanations" will help him. LE will have forensic evidence. In the end, the phone calls, the trips to the grocery store, the financial evidence, etc. will not be important. They will know and will be able to prove - beyond the shadow of a doubt - who killed Nancy Cooper. I am hopeful anyway.....

 

[SleuthSayer]

I didn't get the impression that Nancy thought Brad was easdropping on her phone calls from work through VoIP but more keeping a log of her calls and having the ability to cause her home phone calls to suddenly disconnect for no reason.

The way I read it, they perceived the behavior of the unexplained disconnects to be evidence that he was monitoring her calls. Not that he was intentionally trying to disconnect them.

In any case, my point is that you would think that rather than just having a log of who she called and when she called them, it would be much more valuable to him to have recordings of every call. And, you can get that with with an standard technology "old world" telephone system and a $30 Radio Shack device.

So, the conspiracy theory that he was doing something sneaky with the VoIP system seems a bit far fetched to me.

 

[momto3kids]

The murder case in Cary this past Feb, they got the ex-husband arrested were a few key items...computer, video at a convience store purchasing gas, a few fibers in a back seat, and leaves in the windshield. The one thing I believe nailed him is he stated his ex had not come over to settle a dispute, a neighbor stepped forward to say the ex WAS there and they saw the car.

If just 1 person can place the vehicle at the dump site it would most likely move this case as fast as the other one did.

IMO this is why the CPD is trying to get just 1 person to say they saw something. They probably don't want to wait just like we don't for the DNA to return, but this is what they need at this point since no one saw NC jogging or a vehicle.

 

[Fairy1]

The murder case in Cary this past Feb, they got the ex-husband arrested were a few key items...computer, video at a convience store purchasing gas, a few fibers in a back seat, and leaves in the windshield. The one thing I believe nailed him is he stated his ex had not come over to settle a dispute, a neighbor stepped forward to say the ex WAS there and they saw the car.

If just 1 person can place the vehicle at the dump site it would most likely move this case as fast as the other one did.

IMO this is why the CPD is trying to get just 1 person to say they saw something. They probably don't want to wait just like we don't for the DNA to return, but this is what they need at this point since no one saw NC jogging or a vehicle.

We don't know for sure if anyone saw anything, do we? If I did, I would not be front and center...yet.

 

[MoonFlwr]

I have a question for the websleuthers who are locals to this case and have been down and mentioned Holly Springs Road.
I know it's been said that it is busy and it's thought that people wouldn't jog/run down it....but would that be the same at the time Nancy supposedly went for her run? (Busy first thing in the morning, too?)
Been meaning to ask for a while, but I keep getting distracted!

 

[Star12]

I have a question for the websleuthers who are locals to this case and have been down and mentioned Holly Springs Road.
I know it's been said that it is busy and it's thought that people wouldn't jog/run down it....but would that be the same at the time Nancy supposedly went for her run? (Busy first thing in the morning, too?)
Been meaning to ask for a while, but I keep getting distracted!

There's just basically no place to run on Holly Springs Road. It's two lane, and more like a country road, no sidewalk, no path, grown up wild vegetation at the edges of the road. It's not even pedestrian friendly, not jogger friendly, and certainly not runner friendly. Type of road where you would have to watch your footing. There are many wonderful paths very close by that are beautifully maintained much, much more suitable for running.

 

[MoonFlwr]

There's just basically no place to run on Holly Springs Road. It's two lane, and more like a country road, no sidewalk, no path, grown up wild vegetation at the edges of the road. It's not even pedestrian friendly, not jogger friendly, and certainly not runner friendly. Type of road where you would have to watch your footing. There are many wonderful paths very close by that are beautifully maintained much, much more suitable for running.

Ahh, ok!

Clear picture in my head now. Thank you, Star!

 

[carolinalady]

Thanks to all for the VoIP information!

 

[RaleighNC]

Honestly, I do think that BC would have taken the time to fake a phone call if he did it. Like CyberPro says - if the phone records would at least show a call originating from home at the time a HT receipt / surveillance tape shows him elsewhere, it could be the reasonable doubt he needs.

I also think that in times of stress, and looking to cover your tracks, you would revert back to what you know -i.e. what appears to be the easiest thing to do for you and using his VoIP knowledge would be so easy for him. While he might clean up -we've all heard that it wasn't his strong suit - and really - for a guy that worked as much as he did, etc - why would we expect him to be an expert cleaner?

So - you go with what you know.

While explaining how easy it is made sense to a lot of us - when I went to jury duty is was amazed at what appeared to be the lowest common denominator. it's not a stretch to think that enough jurors would not get it and use it for reasonable doubt.

I would also think that is why someone would subpeona the phone records, and then release them to the public and say "here, as you can clearly see, Nancy called Brad from home while he was out running errands, and before her run". With everything else being released that tries to sway the court of public opinion, why not that?

Not everyone has WS where they bat these ideas around and determine it's an easy fake.

 

[Roy23]

Yes. IMO - his major mistake was the Carrie story. He purposely chose someone he did not know well and that none of NC's friends knew well. That may have worked, but who knows what Carrie has told LE? For all we know, she had to work that day!

I just to do not agree with most of this. Brad doesn't have to prove anything. LE does. I have a feeling that if Brad did this, he planned very well and this was not spur of the moment backtracking. The Carrie story may mean nothing since another of Nancy's friends thought Carrie was running with Nancy too.

If Brad is guilty I believe he will be caught but I still think he planned pretty well. Of course, none of us have any real knowledge of the evidence yet. Had they found anything that signified a struggle I believe that Brad would at least be a person of interest at this point.

 

[EntreNous]

Which other friend thought Nancy was running with Carrie?

 

[raisincharlie]

I just to do not agree with most of this. Brad doesn't have to prove anything. LE does. I have a feeling that if Brad did this, he planned very well and this was not spur of the moment backtracking. The Carrie story may mean nothing since another of Nancy's friends thought Carrie was running with Nancy too.

If Brad is guilty I believe he will be caught but I still think he planned pretty well. Of course, none of us have any real knowledge of the evidence yet. Had they found anything that signified a struggle I believe that Brad would at least be a person of interest at this point.

I think it is a stretch to believe Brad doesn't have to prove anything. Every time a defense lawyer opens his mouth in court it is an effort to disprove what the state has claimed - the way to do that is for Brad to provide to his lawyer proof something is one way and not the way the DA says. On face value and by law - he isn't required to prove anything but in reality if he doesn't prove something in some manner he is gone before the trial starts and his lawyer can sit in chair and never say a word.

 

[raisincharlie]

Yes. IMO - his major mistake was the Carrie story. He purposely chose someone he did not know well and that none of NC's friends knew well. That may have worked, but who knows what Carrie has told LE? For all we know, she had to work that day!

http://www.wral.com/asset/news/local/2008/08/06/3338505/clarkaffidavit.pdf

Bet LE has heard this.

 

[Roy23]

http://www.wral.com/asset/news/local/2008/08/06/3338505/clarkaffidavit.pdf

Bet LE has heard this.

Yeah, I knew about that. RC wasn't there someone else who stated that they thought Nancy was to go jogging with Carey the morning in question? As far as the other issue, Brad and his attorneys have to create doubt. Let's just hope this case is tied to physical evidence instead of circumstancial evidence.

 

[Topsail Girl]

Hey Roy I'm not RC but I believe if anyone else thought Nancy was going running with Carey it was because BRAD told them that. Not because Nancy told them that. She never intended running that morning - she was scheduled to help her friend paint.. That' sjust MY opinion obviously. Honestly though I don't recall hearing anyone else saying Nancy was running with Carey.

 

[raisincharlie]

Yeah, I knew about that. RC wasn't there someone else who stated that they thought Nancy was to go jogging with Carey the morning in question? As far as the other issue, Brad and his attorneys have to create doubt. Let's just hope this case is tied to physical evidence instead of circumstancial evidence.

Roy - I do remember something somewhere that some of the neighbors thought Nancy had gone with Carey but in the same piece it was also mentioned that they spoke with Carey that very Saturday and found out that it was not the case. Wish I could remember where I read that, but I do recall it.

For whoever did it - yes, lets hope there is a strong case that can be proven to put one more murderer behind bars.