Man bought 'Punisher' T-shirt at Walmart to kill his dad
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Cooper Wesley in court on July 14, 2025 (KFSM).

A 27-year-old man from Arkansas has been sentenced to life in prison for the murders of his biological father and another man. He wore a “Punisher” T-shirt during the incident, driven by an unfounded belief that they were responsible for his mother’s death.

Crawford County Circuit Judge Marc R. McCune sentenced Cooper Wesley to two consecutive life terms without the possibility of parole for the 2023 killings of his father, 57-year-old Terry Brasuell, and 47-year-old Donald Lewis, as announced by authorities.

McCune further ordered Wesley to serve the sentences consecutively.

The Crawford County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office stated in a news release that during the three-day trial, it took jurors only 17 minutes to find Wesley guilty on two counts of capital murder for the separate, premeditated shootings.

The fatal shootings took place at about noon on Nov. 4, 2023, according to Johnson, Arkansas, CBS affiliate KFSM.

During the trial, prosecutors reportedly began opening statements by telling jurors that Wesley had intentionally set out to be a “punisher,” like the famous comic book vigilante determined to get revenge on the people he believed killed his mother.

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After planning the killings, prosecutors said Wesley took narcotics — likely methamphetamine — stole two firearms that were stored in his father’s gun case, and went to Walmart, where he purchased a new black “Punisher” T-shirt. He then proceeded to carry out the murders.

“He admitted to shooting Mr. Terry Brasuell,” Alma Police Detective Shawn Taylor told jurors when he testified Friday, per the Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. “He said that he’d pulled up (and) Mr. Brasuell told him, ‘No no put that away.'”

Wesley reportedly told police that he had “business” with his biological father, saying that after finding the older man at a residence in the 800 block of Chitwood Street, he “f—ing blasted him.” Multiple witnesses from the scene identified Wesley as the shooter.

While Brasuell was Wesley’s biological father, the convicted killer was raised by his aunt and uncle.

On the same day, Wesley also shot and killed Lewis in the entryway of his trailer in the 800 block of Muscadine Lane in Alma, Arkansas.

Wesley was taken into custody about an hour after the second shooting and subsequently confessed to both murders. From the probable cause affidavit:

“During the interview Cooper admitted to shooting Donald Lewis with a 380 pistol one-time in the head and Terry Brasuell with a 9mm pistol twice once in the back of the head, second shot was unknown, Cooper stated that both pistols are still in the Nissan Pickup truck he was pulled over in. During the interview, Cooper stated that he had a business to handle and handled that business. Cooper stated that he went to Walmart in Van Buren earlier in the morning of 11/4/23 and bought clothes ‘specifically for his mission.’ Cooper was arrested and walked over to the Crawford County Detention Center.”

Following the verdict and sentencing, County Prosecuting Attorney Kevin Holmes provided the following statement:

“Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families of Donald Lewis and Terry Brasuell. We hope that the result provides some closure and allows the families the opportunity to begin the grieving process. We want to thank the jury for their service and the solid verdict for the families and our community. I can’t say enough about the work of the Crawford County Sheriff’s Department and Alma Police Department. Both agencies did a great job with their response and investigation. also appreciate the work of the Crawford County Coroner’s Office, Arkansas State Crime Lab, and citizens that provided evidence that assisted law enforcement in solving the case and testimony that assisted the jury in reaching a verdict. Finally, Chief Deputy Will Cosner, and Deputy Prosecutors Lena Pinkerton, Shane Griffin and Michael Rabey worked long hours getting this case ready for trial and ultimately presenting it to the jury. I am so proud of their hard work, along with our victim witness coordinators, Lupe Ayala and Anna Belle Payton. It was a team effort from our entire staff.”

 

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