Cofield case: Family waits for answers
More than five weeks after the killing of prominent Memphis financial services executive and charity volunteer Glenn Cofield, the homicide is still unsolved, Crime Stoppers is still seeking tips, and his family is waiting for news.
John Cofield, the older brother of the victim, said his brother’s widow is in touch with the detective in charge of the case.
“He said that he would certainly call if had any leads, but we haven’t heard anything yet. So we’re just kind of on hold.”
“I think he did say something to the effect that if he was taking somebody out in handcuffs at 4 o’clock in the morning that he wouldn’t even wait for breakfast to call her, he would call her at 4:05.”
John Cofield said at one point, family members heard there might be a break in the investigation. “It just turned out to be wrong. And so that’s when one police officer said, ‘Look, I’m your guy, and you’re going to hear from me. And so just wait for me.’ But there have been no updates so far.”
A funeral took place in Memphis last month. John Cofield said Monday afternoon that the family was
preparing for another visitation service that evening in Oxford, Mississippi, where the Cofields had grown up.
The Cofield family is well-known in Oxford in part because of John and Glenn Cofield’s grandfather, J.R. Cofield, who was friends with renowned Mississippi author William Faulkner and took numerous photographs of him, as did their father, Jack Cofield. Glenn Cofield started a publishing company to help his brother publish a photography book entitled “Oxford, Mississippi: The Cofield Collection.”
A 57-year-old husband and father of three sons, Glenn Cofield was local branch manager for financial services company Raymond James. He volunteered for a wide range of organizations, including Independent Presbyterian Church, where he was a deacon and head usher, according to his obituary.
He was also a board member for Juvenile Intervention and Faith-based Follow-up, or JIFF, an organization that aims to change the lives of young people who have been charged with crimes.
The killing of Glenn Cofield in the heart of Midtown Memphis drew heavy attention in Memphis, in Oxford, and beyond, and John Cofield said many people have expressed condolences. “Just an incredible outpouring of love and support from four corners of the universe, it seems.”
Motive, suspect’s description are still unclear
On the night of Friday, June 7, Glenn Cofield attended a charity event for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital at a private home on East Parkway in Midtown. John Cofield has said he believes his brother was attacked when he returned to a parked car with his wife.
In a news conference the night after the shooting, police Lt. Anthony Mullins said Cofield was killed about 10:30 p.m. while going to a parked vehicle at Poplar Avenue and East Parkway. It’s a parking lot for Greater Lewis Street Missionary Baptist Church.
“As Mr. Cofield attempted to enter his vehicle, there was a verbal exchange between him and the suspect, followed by a gunshot,” Mullins said.
Early Twitter posts from MPD pointed to an argument or an attempted robbery as possible motives, but Mullins told reporters at the early June news conference that the motive was still unclear.
He said authorities had no description of the killer, other than that the suspect or suspects fled in a dark-colored vehicle. He said police needed members of the public to come forward with tips, no matter how small.
On Monday afternoon, Memphis Police Department spokesman Louis C. Brownlee said the police department didn’t have more information to release. “There is nothing additional at this time.” He said the police department is still encouraging anyone with tips to call Crime Stoppers.
Three tips to Crime Stoppers
Three tips came in to Crime Stoppers shortly after the killing, E. Winslow “Buddy” Chapman, the organization’s executive director, said Monday. The organization sent the tips to Memphis police. “The way we work is we hear back from the police department,” Chapman said. “And we have not got anything back from the police department indicating (the tips) were helpful.”
The reward for information about the killing still stands at $26,000. And Crime Stoppers is still asking anyone with information to call 528-2274.
“Somebody out there knows who did it. And we really would love for them to step up to the bat and tell us who it is.”
Investigative reporter Daniel Connolly welcomes tips and comments from the public. Reach him at 529-5296, daniel.connolly@commercialappeal.com, or on Twitter at @danielconnolly.