SALT LAKE CITY — Charges have been filed against a 38-year-old man in connection to the murder of 22-year-old Chandler Cooper, whose body was found near Saltair in Salt Lake County in 2016.
Casteil Franklin Hamlett was arrested on Monday and faces charges of murder, felony discharge of a firearm with serious bodily injury, and obstruction of justice. He is being held without bail.
Crime
Detective says 8-year-old murder cold case has not been forgotten
The investigation into Cooper's death began on February 11, 2016, when Unified Police were dispatched to a possible deceased body near Saltair. When police arrived, they found a deceased male in his 20s wearing jeans, a gray sweatshirt, and dark colored shoes.
Investigators noted that the victim, who was later identified by a wallet found on the body, had a gunshot wound to the right cheek and another to the left chest area.
On Cooper's body, detectives say they found Jolly Rancher and Now and Later candy wrappers in his pockets, but not a cell phone. In the area, police found a spent shell casing, an e-cigarette, and an unwrapped partially consumed green Jolly Rancher.
Prosecutors say that through their investigation, they found that Cooper had planned to rob an acquaintance identified as "J.M." and told that plan to Hamlett. Police say J.M. had at the time, won a large Super Bowl bet worth thousands of dollars.
Police say on February 9, 2016, J.M. threw a party to celebrate his winnings. Hamlett allegedly went to the party and told J.M. about Cooper's plan to rob him.
During an interview with investigators in 2016, Hamlett told police that he had picked up Cooper after the party and spent time driving around with him to "smoke and look for girls." Hamlett then told investigators that he dropped Cooper off at an apartment complex near 2100 South and 200 East.
Police reviewed Cooper's last calls and texts that put him near the area of his home just after midnight on February 10.
Detectives searched Hamlett's vehicle in 2016 and noted finding muddy boots, cash, and, in the backseat, a bag of Jolly Rancher and Now and Later candy.
A review of call records from Hamlett on February 10 showed that he received a text from J.M. while near Cooper's home at 12:55 a.m.
From that time of 12:55 a.m. to 3:53 a.m., investigators say, both Cooper and Hamlett's phones went silent and appeared on no tower hits. At 3:53 a.m., police say both Hamlett and Cooper's phones connected to towers in Salt Lake City but Cooper's would go silent once again.
Another witness, identified in court documents as "D.H." told police that on February 10, 2016, Hamlett had arrived at their home around 7:00 a.m. and removed the battery from each of their phones, and turned music on.
Hamlett then took D.H. to a side room and spoke to them before they went to be interviewed and have their vehicle searched by police.
During the investigation, police say they learned that at J.M.'s party, there was a lot of conversation about Cooper "being a problem." Officials say that a group at the party talked about assaulting, kidnapping, and even killing Cooper.
When Cooper's jacket was sent to the State Crime Lab for analysis, prosecutors say Hamlett's DNA profile was found on the inside of the jacket.
“We appreciate the patience of the victim’s family as this case was put together over the last nine years, said Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill. "The wheels of justice may move slowly sometimes, but this office will push them forward to pursue accountability for the victims in our community and their loved ones."
