Murderpedia

 

 

Juan Ignacio Blanco  

 

  MALE murderers

index by country

index by name   A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

  FEMALE murderers

index by country

index by name   A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

 

 

 
   

Murderpedia has thousands of hours of work behind it. To keep creating new content, we kindly appreciate any donation you can give to help the Murderpedia project stay alive. We have many
plans and enthusiasm to keep expanding and making Murderpedia a better site, but we really
need your help for this. Thank you very much in advance.

   

 

 

Richard Michael COOPER

 
 
 
 
 

 

 

 

 
 
 
Classification: Murderer
Characteristics: Robbery
Number of victims: 3
Date of murders: June 18, 1982
Date of arrest: August 17, 1982
Date of birth: September 28, 1963
Victims profile: Steven Fridella, Bobby Martindale, and Gary Petersen
Method of murder: Shooting
Location: Pinellas County, Florida, USA
Status: Sentenced to death on March 14, 1984
 
 
 
 
 

Florida Supreme Court

 
opinion 65133 opinion SC01-2285
 
 
 
 
 
 

DC #087442
DOB: 09/28/63 

Sixth Judicial Circuit, Pinellas County, Case #83-00678
Sentencing Judge: The Honorable William L. Walker 
Trial Attorney: Ky M. Koch, Esq. & Ronnie G. Crider, Esq. 
Attorney, Direct Appeal: John E. Swisher, Esq. & Robert H. Dillinger, Esq. 
Attorney, Collateral Appeals: Mark Gruber & David Hendry – CCRC-M
Stephen Hanlon, Esq. – Private

Date of Offense: 06/18/82

Date of Sentence: 03/14/84

Circumstances of Offense: 

Richard Cooper was convicted and sentenced to death for his part in three murders that occurred during the course of a robbery on 06/18/82.

Eight-year-old Chris Fridella contacted police in the early morning hours of 06/18/82, notifying them that his father and two of his father’s friends had been shot. 

When authorities arrived at the scene, they found Steven Fridella, Bobby Martindale, and Gary Petersen dead, lying face down on the floor with their hands bound behind them.  The victim’s wallets had been rummaged through, and the house had been scoured in an apparent search for valuables. 

Approximately six months later, Robin Fridella, Steven Fridella’s ex-wife, furnished police with information that pointed to Richard Cooper and his accomplices: Terry Van Royal, Jason Dirk Walton and Jeff McCoy. 

During an interview, Cooper confessed to the murders and relayed the following information in his statement. 

The four men had planned the robbery for over a week and, on the evening of 06/17/82, they went to the Fridella residence.  Jeff McCoy stayed in the car while the other three men entered the house.  Cooper, Royal, and Walton rounded up the adults in house, tied their hands and laid them down on the living room floor.  Eight-year-old Chris Fridella was ushered into the bathroom.  Walton searched the house while Cooper and Royal guarded the captives. 

One of the captives was able to identify Walton, so, Walton pronounced that all three men must be shot.  Walton commanded Cooper and Royal to open fire on the captive men when his own gun misfired.  Upon leaving the house, Walton told Cooper that one of the men was still alive, at which time Cooper re-entered the house and shot Fridella again.

Additional Information: 

Richard Cooper was convicted of a burglary (Case# 82-00221) that occurred on 07/24/82, after the aforementioned murders.  He was subsequently sentenced to one year and one month imprisonment for that crime. 

Codefendant Information: 

Jason Dirk Walton was convicted and sentenced to death for his part in the murders that occurred on 06/18/82. 

Terry Van Royal Jr. and Jeff McCoy were sentenced to three life sentences for their parts in the murders.

Trial Summary:

08/17/82          Defendant arrested.

04/06/83          Defendant indicted on the following:

Count I:           First-Degree Murder (Gary Petersen)
Count II:          First-Degree Murder (Bobby Martindale)
Count III:         First-Degree Murder (Steven Fridella)

04/14/83          The defendant entered a plea of “not guilty”.

01/13/84          The jury found the defendant guilty on all counts.

01/14/84          Upon advisory sentencing, the jury voted for the death penalty by a 9 to 3 majority for the murder of Gary Petersen, by a 7 to 5 majority for the murder of Bobby Martindale, and by a 7 to 5 majority for the murder of Steven Fridella.

03/14/84          The defendant was sentenced as followed:

Count I:           First-Degree Murder (Gary Petersen) - Death
Count II:          First-Degree Murder (Bobby Martindale) - Death
Count III:         First-Degree Murder (Steven Fridella) - Death

Case Information:

Cooper filed a Direct Appeal in the Florida Supreme Court on 04/06/84.  In that appeal, he argued that the trial court erred in the admission of evidence that was seized in an unlawful search and in the application of aggravating and mitigating circumstances.  The Florida Supreme Court agreed with Cooper that the murder was not committed during the course of a kidnapping; however, they affirmed the application of all other aggravating factors found by the trial court.  On 07/17/86, the Florida Supreme Court affirmed the convictions and sentences of death.

Cooper next filed a Petition for Writ of Certiorari in the United States Supreme Court, which was denied on 02/23/87.

The defendant then filed a Motion to Vacate Judgment and Sentence (3.850) in the State Circuit Court on 02/22/89.  While that motion was pending, Governor Bob Martinez signed a death warrant for Richard Cooper, and the execution was scheduled for 06/20/89.  On 06/07/89, the State Circuit Court granted a stay of execution.  Twelve and a half years after its original filing date, the Circuit Court denied Cooper’s 3.850 Motion.  Cooper filed an appeal of that decision in the Florida Supreme Court on 10/15/01, which was affirmed on 06/26/03.

During the deliberation on Cooper’s 3.850 Motion, he filed a Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus in the Florida Supreme Court.  The petition was dismissed without prejudice on 09/07/99 to be re-filed under Florida Rule of Appellant Procedure 9.140 (b) (6) (e).

On 03/20/02, Cooper filed another Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus in the Florida Supreme Court which was denied on 06/26/03.

On 12/24/03, Cooper filed a Petition for Writ of Certiorari in the United States Supreme Court, which was denied 03/01/04.

On 06/22/04, Cooper filed a Petition fir Writ of Habeas Corpus with the U.S. District Court, Middle District, that is pending.

Floridacapitalcases.state.fl.us

 

 

 
 
 
 
home last updates contact