Missing from Rochester: Ryan "Chewy" Cooper (MP10337)
Ryan Cooper, known by the nickname "Chewy," was 22 years old when he went missing from Rochester, New York, on May 16, 1999.[1][2] His disappearance was later determined to be a homicide carried out by two of his own cousins, members of a violent drug trafficking enterprise operating in Rochester. His remains have never been recovered, and his NamUs case remains active.[1]
Disappearance
Ryan Cooper was last seen in Rochester, New York, on May 16, 1999.[1][2] The Rochester Police Department opened a missing persons case under agency case number EROC05115.[1] Most of Cooper's family lived on the Cattaraugus Indian Reservation, more than a two-hour drive from Rochester.[3]
At the time he disappeared, Cooper left behind a three-year-old son, and his girlfriend was pregnant with their daughter.[3]
Circumstances
Investigators and federal prosecutors later established that Cooper was murdered in the Rochester apartment of his cousin Pablo Plaza.[4] According to a plea statement made by Plaza in May 2014, Cooper was beaten to death while Plaza was present.[3] Prosecutors alleged that James Kendrick beat Cooper to death with two co-conspirators and had him dismembered in a bathtub.[4]
The motive for the killing was that Cooper, also a member of the drug gang, knew about the murder of Francisco Santos and knew where Santos's body had been disposed of. Other members of the gang believed Cooper might go to the police.[3]
Investigators believe Cooper's body was dismembered, possibly using a wood chipper, and that the parts were stuffed in garbage bags and dumped near the railroad tracks in Rochester.[3]
Investigation and Prosecution
In March 2011, a federal grand jury indicted 11 defendants, including James Kendrick and Pablo Plaza, on a 12-count superseding indictment covering a variety of narcotics and firearms offenses.[5] Kendrick and Plaza, both Cooper's cousins, were also charged with his murder at that time.[3]
In May 2014, Plaza reached a plea agreement with prosecutors, admitting his involvement in the murders of both Cooper and Francisco Santos.[3]
Kendrick's trial proceeded to a federal jury. At the time of trial, the defense noted that no DNA evidence or fingerprints connected Kendrick to the homicides.[4] In July 2016, Kendrick was convicted of multiple charges, including the murders of Santos and Cooper.[3] He was subsequently sentenced to life in prison plus 30 years by Chief U.S. District Judge Frank P. Geraci, Jr.[6]
Cooper's remains have never been located. His NamUs case (MP10337) remains open and active.[1]
Description
At the time of his disappearance, Ryan Cooper was 22 years old, male, approximately 5 feet 5 inches tall, and weighed approximately 185 pounds. He had black hair and brown eyes. He had a scar on his left cheek and lip, acne scars, and several tattoos including the words "Cat," "Indio," "Joker," and "JH Ryan."[1]
Cooper's ethnicity is listed as American Indian / Alaska Native.[1] His Doe Network case number is listed as 4422DMNY in aggregator sources; however, the direct Doe Network case page currently redirects to the Doe Network homepage rather than a case-specific record, and the specific case details from that database could not be independently verified.[2]
How to Help
Anyone with information about Ryan Cooper's disappearance is asked to contact the Rochester Police Department, the investigating agency of record (agency case number EROC05115).[1] The case can also be viewed on NamUs at the link below.
- NamUs case: MP10337
References
- "NamUs Case MP10337." National Missing and Unidentified Persons System. namus.gov
- "Murdered: Ryan Cooper | Rochester, NY." Uncovered. uncovered.com
- "Ryan Cooper." The Charley Project, volunteer-maintained missing-persons database. charleyproject.org
- "Rochester drug ring allegedly disposed of body with wood chipper, like 'Fargo'." New York Upstate, June 2016. newyorkupstate.com
- "Federal Grand Jury Indicts 11 Defendants." Federal Bureau of Investigation, Buffalo Field Office, March 2, 2011. fbi.gov
- "James Kendrick sentenced for involvement in 1998 murder of Francisco Santos." Rochester First. rochesterfirst.com