Regina Keck

Do you know who murdered Regina Keck and Gary Cooley in 2014?
Regina Ann Keck, a 46-year-old certified nursing assistant, was remembered by a friend as a woman who “loved taking care of people and never would have done anything to hurt anybody.” Her life, along with that of her friend, 57-year-old Gary Cooley, was violently cut short in a double homicide that has remained unsolved for years, leaving a painful void for their families and a lingering mystery in their East Knoxville, Tennessee community.

The morning of Tuesday, April 29, 2014, began with a sense of concern when Gary Cooley, a dedicated foreclosure counselor for the Knox Housing Partnership, failed to show up for his job. A coworker was dispatched to his small home in the 4100 block of Alma Avenue to check on him. The employee arrived to a grim and unsettling scene: the front door of the house was standing wide open. The coworker immediately called the police. Responding officers from the Knoxville Police Department entered the home and made a tragic discovery. Inside, they found the bodies of Cooley and Regina Keck. An autopsy would later confirm that both had died from multiple gunshot wounds.

Investigators believe the violence began after a small party Cooley had hosted at his home the previous afternoon. Keck, a friend of Cooley’s, had stayed after the other guests left. Later that rainy night, there was a knock at the door. Police theorize that after Cooley "addressed" the knock, the visitor or visitors forced their way inside. Neighbors told police they hadn't heard any sounds of trouble that night. One neighbor did notice Cooley's front door was open the next morning, which struck him as unusual for the man he knew. He also saw a white Dodge Caravan in the driveway, which he believed belonged to Keck, who would sometimes visit Cooley in the mornings.

Gary Cooley was a well-regarded figure in his neighborhood. In addition to his work helping people keep their homes, he ran a cleaning business on the side. Divorced and living alone, he was known to local children as “Pop-Pop.” Neighbors described him as a kind, hardworking man who kept to himself and was not involved in any trouble. His daughter, Monica Cooley, remembered him as a “good spirited person” who loved to cook, host parties, and help anyone he could. "It just doesn't add up," she said, praying the suspect would be caught.

The investigation into the double murder was launched by the Knoxville Police Department, but the case quickly grew cold. A year after the killings, investigators acknowledged they had no new leads. In April 2017, nearly three years to the day of the murders, officers from the KPD's Violent Crimes Unit returned to Alma Avenue. They went door-to-door, handing out fliers and re-canvassing the neighborhood, hoping to jog someone's memory or encourage a person with information to finally come forward. "We have no leads currently that we have not examined," a police sergeant stated at the time. "Ultimately, we’re trying to solve this case and bring justice to the family of these two victims."

As of May 2021, seven years after the deaths of Regina Keck and Gary Cooley, no arrests have been made, and no suspects have been publicly identified. The case remains an open and active investigation for the Knoxville Police Department, a cold case heavy with unanswered questions. The violent end to the lives of a caring nursing assistant and a kind community member remains a profound loss for their loved ones.

East Tennessee Valley Crime Stoppers offers a cash reward of up to $1,000 for information that leads to an arrest in the case. Anyone with information is urged to contact them at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or call the Knoxville Police Department.