Clovis Double Murder Manhunt: The Dave McCann Case
On May 8, 2016, Clovis was dealing with a case that had already shaken the Central Valley.
A quiet neighborhood had become the center of a double murder investigation. Two women, Tierney Cooper-McCann and her mother, Judith Cooper, were dead. Investigators were searching for Dave Thomas McCann, Tierney’s estranged husband.
What started inside a Clovis home soon turned into a manhunt that stretched across California.
A Quiet Clovis Neighborhood Became A Crime Scene
Authorities said the case began in the early morning hours of May 7, 2016, at a home in Clovis.
Reports identified the victims as Tierney Cooper-McCann and Judith Cooper. The case hit the community hard because it involved a mother and daughter inside a residential neighborhood where families expected peace, not police tape.
By May 8, the story had already moved beyond the neighborhood. Police were searching for Dave McCann, and the case was becoming a regional manhunt.
Who Were Tierney Cooper-McCann And Judith Cooper?
Tierney Cooper-McCann was 36 or 37 years old in news reports from the case. Judith Cooper was 68. Local coverage described Judith as Tierney’s mother and identified both women as the victims in the Clovis double homicide.
For their loved ones, this case was not only a headline. It was a family tragedy.
The timing made the story even more painful. It unfolded during Mother’s Day weekend in 2016, which added another emotional layer to the loss.
Investigators Focused On Dave McCann
Police quickly identified Dave Thomas McCann as the suspect.
Reports said McCann was Tierney’s estranged husband. Investigators believed he left the Clovis area after the killings. The search then expanded from the Central Valley toward the Central Coast.
This detail made the case stand out. It was not only a double murder investigation. It became a chase across different California communities.
The Moving Truck Lead
One major clue involved a moving truck.
Reports said investigators believed McCann may have fled in a rented moving truck. KMPH reported that authorities later connected the search to the Central Coast, and the case drew tips from several areas.
The moving truck angle gave the case a strange and memorable detail. It also gave the public a clear image to watch for as police searched for McCann.
The Search Reached The Coast
As the manhunt continued, the search moved toward coastal communities.
News reports connected the search to areas including Cambria, Big Sur, and Seaside. Police used public tips and social media as they tried to track McCann’s path.
This is one reason the case still stands out years later.
What began in Clovis did not stay in Clovis. It moved from a neighborhood crime scene to highways, coastal roads, and search areas far from Fresno County.
Dave McCann Was Arrested In Seaside
The manhunt ended on May 11, 2016.
KMPH reported that Dave McCann was arrested in Seaside after several days of searching. Law enforcement agencies from multiple areas helped track him down.
CBS News reported that a tip from a homeless person helped investigators find McCann, who was taken into custody after a four-day manhunt.
For the public, the arrest ended the search. For the family, the pain continued.
The Court Case Took Years
The case did not end quickly.
Dave McCann later appeared in court, and the legal process stretched across several years. Fresno County prosecutors later announced that McCann pleaded no contest to two counts of first-degree murder.
On November 30, 2022, the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office announced that McCann received a sentence of 52 years to life in state prison.
Why This Case Still Stands Out
The Clovis double murder remains one of those cases that still stands out years later.
It stands out because of the violence. It also stands out because of the path the case took.
What began in a quiet neighborhood turned into a manhunt stretching across California. At the center of it all were Tierney Cooper-McCann and Judith Cooper, two lives lost in a tragedy their loved ones would never forget.
This is one of those stories that reminds us how quickly a community can change forever.
Final Thoughts
The Dave McCann case is part of Central Valley true crime history.
It involved a Clovis home, a mother and daughter, a moving truck, coastal sightings, an arrest in Seaside, and a court case that lasted years.
For many people, the most important part of the story remains Tierney and Judith.
Their names should not get lost behind the manhunt. Their lives mattered, and their story still carries weight across the Central Valley.
Quick Facts
Case: Clovis double murder
Victims: Tierney Cooper-McCann and Judith Cooper
Suspect: Dave Thomas McCann
Location: Clovis, California
Manhunt path: Central Valley to Central Coast
Arrest: Seaside, California
Sentence: 52 years to life
What Happened: A Clovis double murder that became a California manhunt
