5 chilling details about Gabriel Perez's murder ahead of See No Evil on ID
Gabriel Perez, 20, was shot and murdered while he was sitting outside a McDonald's restaurant on Main Avenue in Fargo, North Dakota, on September 23, 2018. After arriving in a car, the attacker, later identified as Miguel J. Cooley Sr., 44, opened fire. This instantly killed Perez, as per Valley News Live.
Given that a phone number discovered in Perez's room belonged to Cooley's wife, the investigators concluded that jealousy might have been the driving force for the murder. After being taken into custody in southeast Minnesota, Miguel Cooley entered a guilty plea to first-degree murder.
Investigation Discovery's See No Evil will feature this tragic case in its upcoming episode, The Skateboarder. The episode provides a step-by-step examination of the events leading up to and after the murder using surveillance cameras.
See No Evil: The Skateboarder is set to premiere on Investigation Discovery on June 3, 2025, at 9 pm ET.
Five chilling facts about Gabriel Perez's murder
1. Drive-by shooting in a public place
According to Valley News Live, on September 23, 2018, at approximately 6:45 am, Gabriel Perez was shot and killed while he was sitting on the sidewalk outside McDonald's on Main Avenue in Fargo. The assailant drove up in a vehicle and opened fire. The incident took place in a public place, which added to its seriousness.
2. Murder likely fueled by jealousy
As reported by The Dickinson Press, investigators found a phone number in Perez's room that belonged to Miguel Cooley's wife. This led to suspicions that Perez and Cooley's wife may have been having an affair, and that jealousy may have led to the murder.
As mentioned in InForum, Cooley reportedly said,
“I shot him, he was sitting on the curb when I shot him.”
3. Surveillance cameras play a key role
As per reports, surveillance cameras installed near the crime scene recorded footage of the vehicle from which the shots were fired. This footage proved crucial evidence for police in identifying the accused and finding his location.
4. Quick arrest and cross-state action
As reported by Bring Me The News, Miguel Cooley was arrested by a SWAT team on September 25, 2018, in the Southeast region of Minnesota. The arrest came within two days of the murder, demonstrating the swift coordination between law enforcement agencies.
5. Long prison sentence
As per KVRR, Cooley pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in early 2019 and was sentenced to 50 years, 35 of which he will serve in prison and the rest on probation.
All about See No Evil: The Skateboarder explored
See No Evil's episode, The Skateboarder, focuses on the murder of Gabriel Perez. The episode follows the investigation of the murder using surveillance footage and shows how a murder was solved with the help of technology and investigative agencies.
The episode shows the original footage, the search for evidence, and the entire investigation, giving viewers a detailed look at the entire investigation process.
The murder of Gabriel Perez shows how personal reasons can turn into public violence. The case highlights how surveillance technology and collaboration between agencies in modern law enforcement can help solve crimes.
This episode of See No Evil analyzes the investigation process and legal proceedings, giving viewers an opportunity to understand how personal relationships and crime are intertwined and how the justice system works.
The Skateboarder will air on Tuesday, June 3, 2025, on Investigation Discovery at 9 pm ET.
Read More: What happened to Gabriel Perez?
