The Murder of Cheryl Coker

True Crime Monkey Podcast

On the morning of October 2nd, 2018, Cheryl Coker left her home on Christy Ave. in Riverside, OH to drop off her youngest daughter, Mikala, at Stebbins High School. After dropping her daughter off, Cheryl arrived back at her home at about 7:35 AM . It is known that Cheryl was on Facebook, both liking posts and making her own posts from 7:35 to 7:45 AM. Cheryl’s cell phone pings at her home from 7:35 to 10:50 AM. At approximately 10:52 AM Cheryl’s cell phone pings near the Kroger Supermarket at 700 Spinning Rd. Surveillance footage acquired just days later, showed Cheryl’s 2016 Toyota Highlander pulling into a small shopping center at the corner of Spinning Rd and Burkardt Ave., adjacent to the Kroger Supermarket, which is only a short distance away from her home, at this time, 10:52 AM. After parking the car, approximately 2 minutes later, an individual dressed in all black can be seen exiting the vehicle and walking in the opposite direction, away from the shopping center. Then, approximately 15 to 20 minutes later, a 911 caller reports a suspicious white male dressed in all black with his hood pulled up walking near Utopia Pl and Mundy Ct., in the Coker’s own neighborhood, and only a short distance from the Coker residence. The caller then circled the block, fearing that the white male was up to something. That same caller then sees the suspicious male again, walking up Spring Garden Pl. at Christy Ave., toward the back of Spinning Hills Middle School. The caller states that the man used his hands to conceal his face so he couldn’t be seen. Just a moment later, a second 911 caller spots the suspicious man walking toward the back of Spinning Hills Middle School as well. This caller also points out that it is odd that the person is dressed for cold weather, despite it being an unseasonably high temperature for October 2nd. The second caller gives the same description as does the first caller. From 11:09 to 11:11 AM the suspicious male is seen on surveillance cameras at Spinning Hills Middle School, walking behind a row of houses, toward the Coker residence. Then, later that evening, at 8:08 PM, Cheryl’s husband, Bill Coker, is seen on surveillance footage walking into the same Kroger Supermarket, wearing, you guessed it, all dark clothing, a black polo shirt, dark colored shorts and dark colored shoes. At 8:11 PM Bill Coker makes a purchase at Kroger and is seen exiting the building. This same footage reveals what appears to be a fresh abrasion on the back of Bill Coker’s arm just behind his left elbow.
Obviously, Bill Cocker would soon be questioned by police. Bill claimed that early in the morning of Tuesday October 2nd, that he was sleeping, and that Cheryl had woken him up, and stated that her car would not start, and asked if he could jump start it. Bill told police that he attempted to jump start the car, but was unsuccessful, and he went back into the house, only to find that Cheryl had gotten into the shower, and so he layed back down on the couch and went back to sleep. This is the last time Bill claims to have seen or heard from Cheryl. When asked if he had any idea what could have happened to Cheryl, Bill would only that she was participating in some “risky behavior”, (eluding to the swinger lifestyle that they were participating in), and insinuated that she could have merely taken off with someone she previously met.
On February 19, 2019 Bill Cocker was officially named the one and only suspect in Cheryl’s disappearance , which was then classified as a homicide. However, to this day Bill Cocker has not been charged.