The murder of Courtney Coco
Alexandria, Rapides County, Louisiana · 2004
Overview
Courtney Coco, 19, a criminal investigation major at Northwestern State University, was last seen at her home in Alexandria, Louisiana, in early October 2004. On October 4 her body was found in an abandoned building near Winnie, Texas, about 200 miles away. Her car and phone were missing. The pathologist ruled the death a homicide by undetermined means, with a mechanism indicative of asphyxiation. DNA on her trunk latch matched a former partner of hers, no usable fingerprints were found, and the case went cold. In 2011 people came forward with statements David Anthony Burns had made about killing her, but a detective said there was no other hard evidence. In 2019 a podcast, Real Life Real Crime, released an 18-episode series on the case, and its host turned his findings over to Alexandria police. Her family later credited him with solving it; the district attorney declined to discuss what the podcast contributed. A detective assigned in 2018 found a Texas case file naming a witness who had seen a car with Louisiana plates back out of the building the night before the body was found, and that witness picked Burns, who had been engaged to Coco's sister, from a lineup. Burns was indicted and arrested on April 13, 2021. A jury convicted him of second-degree murder on October 31, 2022, he received life without parole, and the Third Circuit affirmed in December 2023.
How it was solved
The sources do not agree on what solved this case. Courtney Coco's family credited a podcast; the police and the district attorney did not say what it contributed. The original investigation left a DNA match on her trunk latch to a former partner of hers, no usable fingerprints, and no one tied to the killing. In 2011, according to Detective Tanner Dryden, people came forward with statements David Anthony Burns had made about killing her, but there was no other hard evidence. Dryden was assigned the cold case in October 2018. In 2019 retired detective Woody Overton released an 18-episode podcast, Real Life Real Crime, titled "Who Murdered Courtney Coco?", and Dateline reported that he turned his findings over to Alexandria police that year. At trial a prosecution witness testified that she had recorded a phone call with her former husband for the podcast, at the podcast's request. After the arrest in April 2021 the family thanked Overton in a statement and said he had solved the murder in seven weeks; the district attorney said he could not discuss specifics without compromising the case. Dryden described a different route to the arrest. At a bond hearing he said that while reviewing the file he found a Texas case file naming a possible witness, a man who in October 2004 almost collided with a car backing out of the abandoned building and noted part of a Louisiana plate. The man had given the Chambers County sheriff a statement days later. More than fifteen years afterward Dryden called him; he drew a silhouette from memory and circled Burns in a lineup. Prosecutors also called three people who said Burns had confessed. At trial a former Texas Ranger agreed that none of the physical evidence he described proved Burns killed her, and two pathologists disagreed about the cause of death. The jury convicted after about ninety minutes, and the Third Circuit affirmed.
Sources
- Mother's fight for justice pays off as long-awaited arrest is made in 2004 cold case homicide of Courtney Coco (April 14, 2021)
“He was assigned to the case in October 2018. What exactly led police to arrest Burns was not announced.”
- Louisiana man arrested in connection with cold case murder of Courtney Coco (April 2021)
“Coco's 1999 Pontiac Bonneville was found in Houston days after she was found.”
- Man Charged In 2004 Cold Case Murder Of College Student Who Was Studying Criminal Investigation (April 15, 2021)
“He then solved her murder in only 7 short weeks & turned over his findings to APD.”
- Arrest in the Courtney Coco murder investigation (April 13, 2021)
“Detective Tanner Dryden, who was assigned to the cold case investigation in October of 2018, made the arrest.”
- Detective: David Anthony Burns arrested in murder of Courtney Coco after being IDed by witness (June 7, 2021)
“According to Dryden, Burns was named as a suspect in 2011 when individuals came forward with statements that Burns made about killing Coco. Dryden said at that time, there was no other hard evidence to arrest Burns on, until the witness was found.”
- COURTNEY COCO CASE - DAY I: Texas Ranger testifies on discovery of Coco's body, lack of DNA evidence (October 27, 2022)
“Holland also told the jury about three separate witnesses who told police that Burns confessed to killing Coco, even saying Burns bragged about the killing to one witness.”
- COURTNEY COCO: Witness who claims he saw man and vehicle leave abandoned building testifies (October 28, 2022)
“He circled David Anthony Burns.”
- COURTNEY COCO CASE - Day 3: David Burns found guilty of 2nd-degree murder in Courtney Coco trial (October 31, 2022)
“She talked about why she recorded the phone call for the podcast - it was at the request of the podcast.”
- VERDICT: David Anthony Burns found guilty of Oct. 2004 murder of Courtney Coco (November 1, 2022)
“She also expressed her thanks to the district attorney’s office, former Alexandria Police Department Det. Tanner Dryden and Woody Overton, the man who led a podcast “Real Life Real Crime: Who murdered Courtney Coco?” - which reignited interest in the case.”
- David Anthony Burns sentenced to life in prison for Oct. 2004 murder of Courtney Coco (November 29, 2022)
“David Anthony Burns has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of probation, parole or suspension of sentence for the October 2004 death of 19-year-old Courtney Coco of Alexandria.”
- Denied: David Anthony Burns’ appeal of murder conviction rejected by Third Circuit Court of Appeal (December 6, 2023)
“Ultimately, Judge Gary Ortego and the Third Circuit affirmed Burns’ conviction and sentence, meaning he will remain behind bars.”
- Guilty verdict announced in October 2004 homicide of Courtney Coco in Alexandria, Louisiana
“Woody turned his findings over to the Alexandria Police Department in 2019. Detective Tanner Dryden, the lead investigator working on Courtney’s case, would not comment on Overton’s findings when he spoke with Dateline in 2020, due to the case being an active investigation.”