Double homicide rattles quiet Clovis neighborhood

Sunday, May 8, 2016
Double homicide rattles quiet Clovis neighborhood
Clovis Police say a mother and her daughter were stabbed early Saturday morning, and 47-year-old Dave Thomas McCann is the chief suspect in the murders.

CLOVIS, Calif. (KFSN) -- UPDATE #2: The Fresno County Coroner's office reports that the victims are 68-year-old Judith Cooper of Paso Robles and Tierney Cooper-McCann, 36, of Fresno.

Other agencies state that Dave Thomas McCann is at large, possibly in the Paso Robles area, riding a gray/tan 15-speed mountain bicycle, with disc brakes, and a small tool kit under the seat.

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UPDATE: Authorities say that the Penske truck was located in Paso Robles, CA, but McCann is still at large.

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Neighbors in a tight-knit Clovis community are shocked as a mother and daughter are murdered just feet away from their homes.

Clovis Police say the women were stabbed early Saturday morning, and 47-year-old Dave Thomas McCann is the chief suspect in the murders.

Neighbors say something like this happening in their neighborhood is both surprising and unnerving.

"Suspect is considered armed and dangerous, please proceed with caution," dispatchers called out.

Officers responded to a home near Willow and Teague Avenues in Clovis where two women inside were found stabbed to death.

"It's disheartening to think you live right on the other side of the fence and there's nothing you can do," neighbor Sheri Bush said. "I wasn't even aware of it."

Crime scene investigators spent the day collecting evidence as police began the search for McCann.

McCann is described as a white male, 6 foot 2 inches, 220 pounds, with brown hair and blue eyes. He may be driving a 16-foot white Penske moving truck bearing Indiana license plate 2504522.

Neighbors say McCann is one of the victim's estranged husband, and neighbor Teri Hickman, who lives across the street, tells Action News that he and his wife had recently been having some marital issues.

"There were some problems," she said. "Maybe something just snapped, I don't know."

Hickmann says that on Friday afternoon McCann, who neighbors say had not been living at the home for a couple weeks, stopped by to pick up some of his belongings.

"Police officers were with him when he went to the house yesterday afternoon," she explained. "But they wouldn't let him in because it's her home, so he only got clothing and a few items that they had already packed up."

Little did she know, what seemed to be a situation under control, and possibly resolved, would unfold into a tragedy wrapped in crime scene tape.

"He came back," Hickmann said. "That was it, middle of the night."

The two homicides are the first and second for the city this year.

Anyone with information regarding McCann's location is asked to call the Clovis Police Department at (559) 324-2800 or their local authorities.