Local man found guilty in fatal assault of roommate

Published 6:18 am Sunday, May 26, 2024

An Oakdale man has been found guilty in the March 2022 brutal attack and fatal assault of his roommate, who was also a relative.

Matthew Vernon Coker, 51, was recently convicted of second-degree murder in the beating death of 61-year-old Floyd Coker in March 2022 following a week-long trial in the 33rd Judicial District Court in Oberlin.

A sentencing date is pending for Matthew Coker, who faces life in prison without the benefit of probation, parole or suspension of sentence.

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Matthew Coker was initially arrested on March 28, 2022 on charges of attempted second-degree murder, failure to seek assistance and interfering with medical equipment. The charges were upgraded to second-degree murder following the victim’s death.

According to investigators, the two men got into an altercation that escalated in Matthew Coker brutally attacking the victim inside a residence the two shared in the 900 block of Maple Street in Oakdale.

Floyd Coker, who had mobility and health issues, was severely injured during the attack. He died a month later from the injuries which included a broken jaw, femur, breast bone and 10 ribs and a collapsed lung.

Authorities say Matthew Coker took the victim’s life alert and telephones from the residence to prevent him from calling for help. The victim managed to crawl to a computer and contact a relative who alerted authorities.