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The man charged with murder and domestic violence in the November shooting death of his wife is heading back to court — but not yet for the homicide itself.
Daniel Cocarteu, 64, is scheduled to appear March 11 before a Scioto County judge for a hearing that will determine whether his judicial release will be revoked in a separate case stemming from a 2023 attempted murder charge.
Cocarteu has remained in the Scioto County Jail since his arrest following the November shooting.
That upcoming hearing will focus on whether the court will send him back to prison on the earlier conviction — not the new murder case.
A Prior Violent Case That Ended Early
Back in 2023, Cocarteu was originally charged with attempted murder. That charge was later reduced through a plea deal to felonious assault, and in November 2023 he was sentenced to four years in prison.
But he served only a short portion of that sentence.
By May of 2024 — after just a few months at Noble Correctional Institution — Cocarteu was granted judicial release and returned to the community.
Now, less than a year later, he is once again accused of extreme violence.
“They Exchanged Gunfire”
SCDN obtained 911 radio traffic from the chaotic early-morning scene on Pershing Avenue.
Just before 6 a.m. on November 26, Cocarteu himself called 911, telling dispatchers that he and his wife had exchanged gunfire inside their home.
According to dispatch audio:
“She shot at him multiple times.
He shot and did hit her.
She’s on the ground at the bottom of the stairs.
She is still breathing and moving.”
Cocarteu told dispatchers he had put his weapon down, but warned there was still another handgun near his wife.
Deputies arrived, detained Cocarteu, and cleared the residence so medics could reach the victim. Scanner traffic indicated the woman had suffered a serious head injury.
She later died on December 1. Murder charges were filed against Cocarteu on December 10.
What Happens Next
Two previous hearings to revoke Cocarteu’s judicial release — scheduled for January 6 and February 16 — ended without a decision.
The March 11 hearing will again address whether his release from the 2023 case will be revoked, potentially sending him back to prison on that earlier sentence.
At the time of his November arrest, Cocarteu was ruled indigent and appointed a public defender.
Despite the seriousness of the murder charge, no future court dates have yet been scheduled in that case.
For now, Cocarteu remains behind bars as the court weighs whether his earlier early release — granted less than a year ago — should be formally terminated.
SCDN will continue following both cases closely and will update readers as new information becomes available.
Get caught up on our previous articles about this situation.