Man Charged in "Demonic" Killing, Dismemberment of Uber Eats Driver

A Florida man faces murder charges in the killing and dismemberment of an Uber Eats driver, who was delivering food to the man's house shortly after messaging his wife that it was his last delivery of the day, officials said. Authorities charged Oscar Solis Jr., 30, of Holiday, Florida, with homicide committed during a robbery in the death of Uber Eats employee Randall Cooke on April 19, Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco said in a news conference.

Detectives found Cooke's remains in trash bags and a cooler at Solis' house. "This was a horrific crime of passion," Nocco said. "This was demonic. What he did was demonic." Here's what you need to know about this gruesome crime.

Who Is Oscar Solis Jr.?

Solis moved to Florida in January from Indiana, where he was released on parole. The 6-foot-4, 315-pound Solis was affiliated with the notorious MS-13 gang in Indiana and worked security at a strip club. Solis is a "very violent individual," Nocco said. Solis did not appear to have any prior relationship with Cooke.

Who Is Randall Cooke?

Cooke had also recently moved to Florida with his wife after retiring. He drove for Uber Eats and DoorDash to make extra money, according to his stepdaughter, Brittany Dzoba.

"They shared so many amazing memories together," Dzoba said of Cooke and his wife. "He was a guy just trying to make a living for his family," Nocco said. "This person killed him for no reason and took him away from his family. You can never answer the 'why.'"

What Happened

Cooke texted his wife at 6:43 p.m. on April 19 that he was making his last delivery. Cooke delivered food to Solis' house a short time later, surveillance video showed. Cooke's wife never heard from him again and called authorities later that night.

The surveillance video showed that Solis and another person carried trash bags out of the house the next day. The other man, Solis' driver, was not charged. "All it appears is that this was somebody who is working doing his last delivery of the night, and this person killed him for no reason," Nocco said. 

What Happened Next

Uber provided investigators with Cooke's last known GPS coordinates, and they searched Solis' house a couple of days later, Nocco said. They found blood throughout the house, and several of the trash bags with human remains inside.

Investigators also found remains in a cooler, as well as a receipt with Solis' name on it, Cooke's wedding ring, and car keys, court documents said. Investigators managed to locate Cooke's car a short distance away, which contained a trash bag with blood-soaked rags and towels, court documents said. "It was a horrible scene for them out there for several days," Nocco said. "It was tough."

Not the First Time

Cooke is not the first food delivery driver to become the victim of violence in recent weeks. A Florida driver and his girlfriend came under gunfire when they entered the wrong driveway while delivering food earlier this month. They were not injured. An Amazon delivery driver was found dead in Missouri of a suspected dog attack last year, police said.

"There is no reason why Mr. Cooke shouldn't be home with his family today, and we are keeping his loved ones in our thoughts," Uber spokeswoman Sarah Casasnovas said in a statement. "We have been in close contact with the Pasco County Sheriff's Office throughout their investigation and thank them for their dedication to this case."