Living Out Loud with Darian

Let's file this story under another one the mainstream media overlooked.

Darius Cooke no longer sleeps in the bed he once shared with Keith Jamar Truesdale, his partner of nearly two years. Until he moves out of their Woodbridge, Va., apartment, Cooke says he'll be sleeping on the living room couch.

Keith Truesdale was taken from his partner and his family on January 22 when a single bullet ended his life during a robbery at Popeyes Chicken. Keith had worked as a manager for Popeyes for over a year and a half at another location and was just filling in at the location where the shooting took place.

Cooke saw Truesdale for the last time that day as he stopped by the restaurant to collect some of the paperwork needed for an upcoming move. After running some errands in the neighborhood, fate allowed Cooke to be in an adjacent bank parking lot as Truesdale took a break. He walked over and surprised Cooke.

''Damn, you're still here?'' Truesdale teased. ''You got everything you need?''

That was followed by a casual goodbye and Cooke's reply: ''I'll see you at home then.'' It would be the last words they would exchange, the last time they would see each other.

Cooke learned that Truesdale was caught in the middle of a robbery involving two men, one brandishing a knife, the other a gun, demanding he open the store's safe. Not the regular manager, it's likely he didn't have that combination memorized. Truesdale was fatally shot and died at Potomac Hospital around 11 p.m.

Nearly one week after the incident, Cooke says he has yet to hear from police or the management at Popeye's.

Keith and Darius exchanged rings during a commitment ceremony nine months ago and were looking forward to a bright future together.

''I thought we were going to be together for a long time,'' he says. ''I felt like we built so much together. Most couples our age don't have close to what we had.''

I would like to personally send my condolences to Darius Cooke and the family of Keith Truesdale during their time of bereavement. May he rest in peace.

Links:
Metro Weekly
Da Doo- Dirty Show
GBM News