A Putnam County jury convicted Timothy Laquan Davis, Jr. and Braze Roland Rucker on all counts following a five-day trial that concluded on Friday, March 27, 2026, at 7:15 p.m.

Davis was found guilty of attempted first-degree murder of a law enforcement officer, employing a firearm during the commission of a dangerous felony, theft of property over $10,000, and possession of a firearm by a person previously convicted of a violent felony. Rucker was convicted of attempted first-degree murder of a law enforcement officer, facilitation of employing a firearm during the commission of a dangerous felony, theft of property over $10,000, and possession of a firearm by a person previously convicted of a violent felony.

The crimes occurred on July 19, 2024, when Trooper Adam Cothron pulled over a stolen vehicle on Interstate 40 west of Exit 286 in Cookeville. Both defendants, who were violent felons released from prison just four months earlier, were inside the car. As Cothron approached the passenger side, Rucker lowered the window and Davis immediately shot the trooper, leaving him wounded on the roadside as the suspects fled. Davis was later apprehended in Nashville, and Rucker was arrested in Kentucky.

After hearing testimony from 25 witnesses and reviewing more than 80 pieces of evidence, the jury delivered the guilty verdicts. Sentencing is scheduled for May 15, 2026, before Judge Gary McKenzie. The defendants have remained in custody in the Putnam County Jail since their arrests.

The investigation was led by TBI Special Agent Luke Webb, with assistance from multiple agencies including the Tennessee Highway Patrol, Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, Cookeville Police Department, and the FBI. The case was prosecuted by District Attorney Bryant Dunaway and Assistant District Attorney Mark Gore. Trooper Cothron courageously testified at trial, confronting the men who tried to kill him, supported by his wife Gena, family, and fellow troopers.

The convictions highlight the defendants as repeat violent offenders who chose their temporary freedom over the life of a law enforcement officer. The Cothron family has been asked to be kept in prayers.