Husband's Comments 'Inconsistent' in Jogger Murder, Police Say

Oct. 20, 2008 — -- Police investigating the July murder of Nancy Cooper say that parts of the sworn testimony made by her husband earlier this month are "inconsistent" with the statements he made to authorities immediately after her death.

George G. Daniels, the lead detective in the Cary, N.C., murder case, said in a sworn affidavit filed Oct. 9 and obtained by ABCNews.com that not only did some of Brad Cooper's statements conflict with what he told investigators around the time of his wife's disappearance but that Cooper has stopped talking to police.

"Bradley Cooper has not fully cooperated with our investigation into the murder of Nancy Cooper and has not been willing to come to the police department to assist in the investigation and provide information despite formal requests from the Cary Police Department that he do so," said Daniels in the affidavit.

Daniels did not specify in the court papers what information provided by Cooper was reportedly inconsistent and calls made to Cooper's lawyers were not immediately returned.

Daniels didn't respond to a call seeking comment.

But in eight hours of videotaped sworn testimony given by Cooper, 34, earlier this month for use in the custody hearing over the couple's two daughters, clips of which were viewed by ABCNews.com, Cooper asserted his desire to assist the investigation into his wife's murder.

"My primary focus [in the months since Nancy's murder] has been trying to get to see my girls again and helping in the investigation about Nancy," said Cooper.

"I have answered every question [the police] have," Cooper says on the tape. Cops have visited his home at least five times since his wife's death, he said.

Nancy Cooper, 34, was reported missing July 12, and her body was found two days later in a drainage pond in an undeveloped subdivision a few miles from her Cary, N.C., home. Her husband told police that his wife went jogging and never returned.

An autopsy revealed the cause of death to be strangulation, according to the medical examiner's report obtained by ABCNews.com.

No arrests have been made in the case and Cooper has not been named a person of interest, but family and friends of his wife have said they are convinced that he was involved.

Jennifer Ball, Cooper's former fiance, also has her doubts about Cooper, according to an affidavit filed Oct. 13 in which she says Cooper "constantly belittled" her and was "emotionally detached" and "mentally cruel."

Similar claims of belittlement were made by Nancy Cooper's parents in a custody petition filed in July, according to court documents.

Cooper "engaged in a pattern of emotional abuse," frequently yelled at Nancy Cooper and belittled her in the presence of the minor children, according to the petition.

In her affidavit Ball also said that when her relationship with Cooper ended in December 1998, she "became fearful for her physical safety."

Cooper's videotaped testimony -- the first time in more than three months that he has spoken on the record about his wife's murder -- gives details about where he was the morning of his wife's death. He also continues to maintain his innocence.

According to Cooper's testimony, Nancy Cooper went jogging at around 7 a.m. and when she hadn't returned almost two hours later he assumed that she was "punishing him" for not cleaning.

"I thought maybe she had been punishing me by not coming back because the floors weren't clean and weren't washed," Cooper said.

"I washed the floors with hot water and vinegar," he said in the testimony. "I was trying to make her happy as best I could."

Asked by investigators whether he had ever visited the area where his wife's body was found, Cooper said that he had not, adding that he didn't think she would run in that area.

Rosemary Zednick, a Cary resident, said in an affidavit obtained by ABCNews.com, that she was sure she saw Nancy Cooper jogging at 7:10 a.m. the day of her disappearance. Zednick said that there was "no question in her mind" that the jogger she said "hi" to was Nancy Cooper. Nancy Cooper's body -- clothed only in a sports bra -- was found by authorities two days later.

The custody hearing, set to determine whether the two Cooper children will remain in the care of Nancy Cooper's parents, Garry and Donna Rentz, finished late last week. A judge awarded the Rentzes temporary custody to in July.

According to ABC News affiliate WTVD, evidence such as video and audio recordings of Web calls between Cooper and his children -- a provision of the original custody agreement -- may still need to be copied and made available to lawyers for both parties, consequently delaying any settlement.

Wake Court District Judge Debra Sasser made it clear at the start of the hearing that the ongoing murder investigation would certainly play a role in the custody decision.

According to the Raleigh News & Observer, Sasser said during the court hearing Sept. 29, "I am not going to avoid the elephant in the room: Did Brad Cooper kill his wife?"

"That's what I have to determine in this custody case if no one is charged and convicted in Nancy Cooper's death before the custody hearing."

Lawyers for Nancy Cooper's family declined to comment on whether they were optimistic about the outcome of the case.

"For now, the evidence speaks for itself and we look forward to a ruling," said Alice Stubbs, the Rentzes' lawyer.

ABC News' Scott Michels contributed to this report.