Jerrod Ramsey ’Monkey’ Cooper, 34, of Princeton, Kentucky, was shot in the early morning hours of October 23, 2025, and died later that day. Princeton Police responded to reports of gunfire just before 2:40 a.m. in the 300 block of Beverly Lane. Cooper suffered two gunshot wounds, to the pelvic area and the head, and was treated at the scene, transported to Caldwell Medical Center, and then airlifted to Vanderbilt University Medical Center, where he died at about 10:15 a.m.

Investigators identified 20-year-old Hector Miguel Pena of Princeton as a suspect; Pena turned himself in the same day. A warrant for first-degree assault was initially issued and was upgraded to murder after Cooper’s death. At a preliminary hearing, a detective testified the shooting occurred around 2:40 a.m.; testimony based on witness statements and surveillance footage described Pena and another person walking when Cooper arrived in a vehicle, stopped, exited, and took a couple of steps toward them before Pena began firing. No firearms or ammunition were found in Cooper’s vehicle. Pena pleaded not guilty at arraignment, the case was bound over to a grand jury, and a request to reduce bond was denied.

Family and friends remembered Cooper as a devoted father and youth baseball coach who helped others. Does anyone who knew Jerrod or who was in the area that night have information that could help the investigation?