Cleophus Cooksey Jr. charged in string of killings in Phoenix

A convicted felon was formally charged with murder in eight shooting deaths in metro Phoenix late last year.

The indictment against Cleophus Cooksey Jr. was filed Thursday but became publicly available Monday.

Police said nearly two months ago that Cooksey was responsible for fatally shooting nine people, though he's charged in only eight killings.

He has been jailed since his mid-December arrest in the deaths of his mother and stepfather.

Investigators say Cooksey is linked to the killings through ballistics.

Cooksey previously pleaded not guilty in the deaths of his mother and stepfather.

He was released from prison in July for a manslaughter conviction for participating in a strip-club robbery where an accomplice was killed