Police: Millcreek man found dead near Saltair was killed


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MAGNA — A Millcreek man whose body was discovered Thursday near Saltair is the victim of a homicide, police said.

The body of Chandler Cooper, 22, was found by hikers Thursday evening a few hundred yards from the intersection of the North Temple Frontage Road and 11500 West.

Several factors indicate that Cooper's death is a homicide. Unified police detective Ken Hansen said Cooper appears to have been shot, but he didn't say how many times. The wounds on his body did not appear to be self-inflicted, he said.

A medical examiner will determine Cooper's cause of death.

Police believe Cooper died at the site and his body remained there for two or three days before it was found, Hansen said. No abandoned vehicles were discovered in the area.

Investigators are looking at whether Cooper's death may be connected to a drug-involved lifestyle, according to the detective.

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"As we all have heard before, a lot of times drugs can lead to violent deaths, and that might be this case," Hansen said.

A search of state court records indicates Cooper has faced multiple drug-related offenses since he turned 18. In 2012 he pleaded guilty to unlawful purchase or possession of a dangerous weapon, with the charge reduced to a class A misdemeanor. He was most recently charged with possession of drug paraphernalia, a class B misdemeanor, with the charge dating back to November.

A warrant for Cooper's arrest was issued Jan. 28 when he failed to appear for a hearing in the case, according to court records.

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