Hawkins indicted for murder of Atlanta man

A Texarkana man, DaKyree Lamont Hawkins, 26, aka Rico Suave has been indicted for murder for the shooting death of Vadarious LaKeith Cooper on New Year’s Eve. Hawkins insisted that he had not been to the area since Christmas, however several witnesses put him at the scene. A source told the Journal-Sun that an argument ensued over drugs, which seemed to be confirmed when officers located several baggies of marijuana in various amounts were found. Investigator Cody L. Sartor noted that based on the evidence there was good reason to believe that Hawkins had indeed discharged the firearm.

According to the press release from the Cass County District Attorney’s Office Sartor issued a statement of belief that “on or about Friday, December 31, 2021, at or about 3:03 p.m., the Atlanta Police Department received an emergency call for service in reference to a gunshot victim near the Dogwood Apartments which is located at 703 and 705 Dogwood Trail.” That Hawkins “intentionally and knowingly cause the death of an individual, namely Vadarious LaKeith Cooper, by discharging a firearm into his body.”

Reports showed that when officers arrived on the scene in Atlanta, they observed a black male who was later identified as Vadarious LaKeith Cooper, 32, “on the ground just off of the roadway across from the Dogwood apartments. CPR was in progress at the time and the subject had what appeared to be a single gunshot wound to his chest. EMS arrived on scene and Cooper was soon thereafter pronounced as deceased on site.”

“Several witness statements were gathered on-site. The primary witness was Kadijah Peterson. According to Peterson, the decedent, who was her cousin, was at her house which is located at 705 Dogwood Trail. Peterson advised that a black male she knows to go by the moniker Rico Suave came up to the apartment’s parking lot from an adjacent roadway that carries the street name of Courtland Road. ‘Rico’ then discharged two shots at Cooper from what she described as a black handgun. Cooper fled around the side of her apartment, and she retreated inside the apartment as ‘Rico’ was advancing toward Cooper.

“Peterson then reported she heard more rounds being discharged. Peterson advised that after she heard the rounds being shot, she heard her cousin, Cooper, cry out, “I’ve been hit!” Peterson advised that ‘Rico’ ran back down Courtland Road and she saw Cooper run back across the front of her apartment toward the road where he finally collapsed. Peterson provided officers with screenshots and information from her phone which depict photographs of ‘Rico’ as well as his phone number, his girlfriend’s name and phone number, and his mother’s name and phone number.

“Peterson went on to advise that ‘Rico’ had recently been incarcerated in Texarkana, Bowie County, Texas, and sometimes lives there. The phone number that Peterson provided for Hawkins was (redacted). The information was then transferred to members of the Texarkana Police Department and when cross-referenced with their records system, ‘Rico’ was identified as DaKyree Hawkins, a black male with the DOB of 07-16-1995. They also advised that the phone number they had for Hawkins was Texarkana Police Officers transmitted a book-in photograph of Hawkins. Peterson was then shown the image and she confirmed that the subject was in fact “Rico.” It should be noted that the subject has numerous facial and chest tattoos that make the subject easily recognizable.

“Another witness on the scene was identified as Billy Johnson. Johnson reported that he did not know any of the parties but was able to describe them. Johnson advised that he was sitting in front of his apartment at 705 Dogwood when a black male subject came up from Courtland Road and fired two shots at another black male who was in front of an apartment across from his. Johnson stated that the victim ran behind the apartments and the other individual advanced toward him. Johnson reported that the suspect then fired three more shots and fled back down Courtland Road where he came from. Johnson stated that the victim ran back in front of the complex toward the road where he collapsed. Johnson stated that he was in front of his apartment with another adult subject named Orlando Gulley.

“Another witness statement was obtained from Gullev. Gulley relayed the same basic information as Johnson. During the taking of these statements, officers searched the areas where we were told the shots were discharged. At both locations the witnesses stated Hawkins shot at Cooper, officers located fresh 9mm shell casings that were clean and on top of the ground. Officers also located several baggies of marijuana in various amounts.

“During the evidence collection phase of working the crime scene, Atlanta Dispatch advised that the suspect had called the police department. The subject gave the name of DaKyree Hawkins and the phone of (redacted) Hawkins advised that he had heard that his name was being put out as having committed a murder and he wanted to clear his name. Hawkins went on to advise that he had not been in Atlanta since Christmas and that he had been in Texarkana all day. APD Dispatch tried to transfer the call to an on-scene investigator, but Hawkins did not stay on the line,” According to the sworn probable cause affidavit, by Sartor.

In conclusion, the affidavit noted that “based on the witness statements obtained as well as the physical evidence which corroborate the events as relayed by the witnesses, Your Affiant believes that DaKyree Hawkins did in fact discharge a firearm into the body of Vadarious Cooper and that the act caused the immediate death of Cooper.”