On a tragic July night in Gwinnett County, 28-year-old Oscar “Oz” Alexis Cruz was kidnapped from his own home, bound with duct tape, and later found riddled with 17 gunshot wounds in the parking lot of a church. The brutality of his death has shocked his tight-knit community—and led to the arrest of a man now facing a raft of serious charges.
According to arrest warrants, early on July 22, Raymond Cooper, 34, forced his way into Cruz’s home on Gin Blossom Circle. Under threat of a gun, Cooper demanded money and searched the house for valuables. During the terrifying invasion, Cruz’s hands were duct taped behind his back, police say, before he was dragged out of his home.
Investigators allege the nightmare didn’t end in that house. Instead, Cruz was transported to Cannon United Methodist Church on Webb Gin House Road—a drive of about ten minutes—where he was shot 17 times in the head, abdomen, arms, and torso. His body was left in the church parking lot, discovered just after 6 a.m. by a passerby who called 911.
The man now in custody, Cooper, is being held in the Gwinnett County jail without bond. He faces an extensive list of charges: first-degree home invasion, armed robbery, kidnapping, false imprisonment, malice and felony murder, and aggravated assault.
Court testimony has revealed chilling new details: according to WSB-TV, prosecutors say Cooper wasn’t alone. They allege he worked with three others, one of whom is 26-year-old Javon Wilson—also known by his stage name “OTF Boona”—who was arrested recently. During the invasion, the suspects are said to have told Cruz’s wife, “Kiss him goodbye,” warning her she would never see him alive again.
The violence reportedly stemmed from a failed drug deal. In court, detectives claimed Cruz had traveled to meet the men earlier that evening at a Waffle House, possibly to either purchase or deliver drugs. Once inside his home, the intruders allegedly stole around $3,000 and drugs.
Cruz’s family—and those who knew him—are reeling. His sister Jessica described him as “the light in our lives, a devoted father, and truly one of the sweetest souls you could ever meet.” He leaves behind a young son, Hendrix, and a grieving community that has launched a GoFundMe to help with funeral expenses.
Police say the crime appears to have no direct connection to the church itself, despite where the body was found. As the case moves to Superior Court, prosecutors are building a strong case—not just against Cooper, but potentially against all involved. For Cruz’s family and friends, the wounds run deep, and they hope that justice will finally bring some measure of peace.