Dougherty County Superior Court Judge Denise Marshall described the scene as "cringeworthy" Friday as she sentenced Ryan Cooper to life in prison without parole for the murder of Lacambria Deonshay Toomer, a 23-year-old woman whose body has never been recovered.
Before the sentence was handed down, Toomer's mother Melassia Thornton stood before Cooper and begged him to reveal where he had hidden her daughter's remains. The killer sat stone-faced, showing no emotion as she pleaded with him through tears.
"You have an opportunity to give me that closure by telling me where my baby's body is," Thornton said directly to Cooper. "If you had any heart left in you, before I leave here today, please give me that closure. Please tell me where my baby is."
Background
Lacambria Deonshay Toomer was last seen alive on Aug. 13, 2022, in Albany, Georgia. Her family reported her missing 11 days later. According to authorities, Cooper—Toomer's boyfriend at the time—was the last person known to have been with her before she vanished.
Investigators believe Toomer was killed around Aug. 15 or 16, 2022. Cooper claimed he dropped her off at a gas station, but police determined that account was false. Her body has never been found despite extensive searches by family members and law enforcement.
"I was in places I had no business going," Thornton testified about her own search efforts. "I was in wooded areas, walking in water. Day in, day out, I was out looking for my baby, 'cause that is what a mama's supposed to do."
The Investigation
Prosecutors built their case using text messages exchanged between Cooper and Toomer, as well as cellphone GPS records that placed Cooper with the victim during the timeframe authorities believe she was killed. Cooper was arrested on May 31, 2023.
A Dougherty County grand jury indicted Cooper in March 2026 on charges of malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault and concealing the death of another. A jury deliberated less than an hour before finding him guilty on all counts.
"Ryan Cooper is absolutely, 100% guilty of all the charges that have been brought before you," prosecutor Gregory W. Edwards told jurors during closing arguments. "There should be no doubt in your mind that Ryan Cooper is guilty."
Edwards said Cooper killed Toomer to send a message and chose to erase her very existence by disposing of her body somewhere in Georgia, denying her family the chance to properly bury their daughter.
"He wasn't playing around," Edwards said. "He meant business."
Defense attorney Benjamin Davis attempted to raise reasonable doubt, attacking the credibility of the state's blood experts and pointing out that investigators never located Toomer's remains despite the time elapsed since her disappearance.
"They haven't been able to find her," Davis argued. "Their case makes absolutely no sense."
Key Takeaways
- Ryan Cooper, 28, convicted of malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault and concealing the death of another
- Sentenced to life in prison without parole by Dougherty County Superior Court Judge Denise Marshall
- Victim Lacambria Deonshay Toomer, 23, has never been found since her disappearance on Aug. 13, 2022
- Jury deliberated less than one hour before reaching a verdict
- Prosecution relied heavily on text messages and cellphone GPS data placing Cooper with the victim
- Mother Melassia Thornton continues to care for her daughter's son with Cooper, who was an infant at the time of the murder
What's Next
Cooper will serve his sentence in a Georgia state prison. Authorities have not disclosed where they believe Toomer's body may be located, and the investigation into locating her remains continues. The family has asked anyone with information about the case to contact Dougherty County law enforcement.