Medical examiner releases cause of death for Tacoma man allegedly killed by roommate
The cause of death for a man found dead in a Parkland camper has been released by the Pierce County medical examiner.
Richard Cooley, 37 of Tacoma, died of asphyxia due to strangulation, according to the medical examiner in a news release.
Cooley was found dead Oct. 25 in his camper near the 13500 block of 8th Avenue East. His roommate, Casey Vincent Christianson, has been charged with murder in his death.
The camper was next to Christianson’s home. Cooley would would go in and out of the house to use the shower or other facilities, according to a Oct. 26 News Tribune story.
Christianson was arrested on Oct. 23 for allegedly assaulting his father in front of Pierce County sheriff’s deputies. His father found Cooley’s body in the trailer two days later.
Christianson was charged with two counts of second-degree murder on Monday. He is also facing third-degree assault, resisting arrest and fourth-degree assault charges in regards to the Oct. 23 incident, a previous News Tribune story said.
Christianson has pleaded not guilty and is being held on a $1.5 million bail for the murder charges and a $25,000 bail for the assault charges at Pierce County Jail, the story said.
