MAGNA, Utah — It's been eight years since a 22-year-old was shot and killed near the Saltair. But a detective on the case says new technology is helping them get closer than ever to finding the killer.
Chandler Cooper had several run-ins with the law during his young adult life, mostly due to drug use and possession.
His life ended in February 2016 when he was shot and killed near the Saltair.
“Two gunshot wounds, it looks like he was possibly walked out there and just murdered," explained Detective Brandon Moore with the Unified Police Department. “Regardless of the crowd he was running with, I mean, it’s someone that didn’t deserve to be murdered!”
Moore was promoted to the UPD Homicide Squad in 2023 and is dedicated to finding the person or people who killed Cooper.
He claims having a fresh set of eyes on the files, paired with advances in technology, has left him feeling cautiously optimistic about solving Cooper's case.
“Not only for him but his mom, he’s got a mom, he was living with his grandmother," Moore said. "There’s people that cared about this person and to go eight years with this being unsolved, I can’t imagine how that weighs on a family."
Moore asked that the public think back to the case and let him know if they remember any helpful information.
He also wants the suspects to know Cooper's death has not been forgotten.
"We just hope that something has weighed on somebody so hard for eight years that they just want to get it off their chest," he said. "We’re hoping to give them that opportunity; come talk to us, we can leave you anonymous if we need to, we’re just looking for tips so we can solve this case.”
To contact Detective Moore and leave a tip in this cold case, call 385-468-9812.
