By NC WANTED Staff

Posted: Sep 2, 2008
Updated: Sep 3, 2008

WAKE COUNTY — WAKE COUNTY: The unsealing of search warrants Tuesday of Nancy and Brad Cooper's home, computers and Brad's office have begun to paint a clearer picture in a tight-lipped murder investigation.

Nancy Cooper's slain body was found in the Lochmere neighborhood near the couple's Cary home on July 14, two days after her friend reported her missing. Brad Cooper told police that Nancy went jogging the morning she disappeared and never returned.

In the search warrants, police noted that Brad Cooper had thoroughly cleaned the house the day Nancy disappeared and observed cleaning supplies near Nancy's bedroom. Inside the bedroom, police seized a stained white fitted sheet, but could not determine the cause of the stain. The trunk of Nancy's car had been cleaned as well, with Nancy's purse still inside.

In various statements made to police by people who knew the couple well, it was clear that Nancy and Brad often fought over cleanliness of the house. In numerous accounts, friends reported that Nancy went out of town with the couple's daughters and returned to find the house completely filthy with ants and spoiled food all over the kitchen.

"The information provided by Brad Cooper regarding the extensive cleaning of the residence on Saturday, July 12, 2008 is not consistent with information gathered from multiple interviews with individuals who knew Brad and Nancy extensively during their marriage," the warrant stated.

Although family and friends told investigators that Nancy never went running without her keys and cell phone, those items were still located inside the Cooper residence at the time police conducted their search, according to the warrants.

A custody dispute between Brad Cooper and Nancy's sister and parents over the care of the couple's two young daughters provided a rare glimpse into their torubled marriage. Nancy was beginning divorce proceedings and planned to move back to Canada with the couple's daughters to be closer to her family.

Affidavits signed by several of Nancy's friends revealed that they believed Brad was responsible for her death.

Nancy's body was found lying face down in the drainage pond of an undeveloped subdivision. She was wearing minimal clothing, but neither a cause of death nor a person of interest have been revealed in the case. Among the items seized from the car, however, were hair samples from the trunk, tire well and bumper, and grass from the front right seat.

In the warrants, investigators note that Brad had unexplained red scratches on the back of his neck when he was interviewed by police July 12.

Brad, through his attorney, has vehemently denied any involvement in his wife's death. He said that he had awoken early the morning of July 12 and gone to the grocery store to buy milk and laundry detergent at Nancy's request. He admitted the couple had been fighting about money and housework. Brad cleaned the house extensively while waiting for Nancy to return from her run, he told police. Around 12:30 p.m., he began to worry about her and "drove around" looking for her.

Her friend, Jessica Adam, called police to report her missing around 2 p.m. after Nancy failed to show up to help Adam paint her house and could not be reached on her cell phone. When Adam called the house looking for Nancy, Brad told her that Nancy had gone running with her friend Carrie Clark.

Clark told police that she did not meet Nancy for a run that morning and had never made plans to do so.

If you have information on the murder of Nancy Cooper, call NC WANTED toll free at 1.866.43.WANTED (1.866.439.2683) or click on "Report a Tip" Your identity can be kept confidential.