On February 24, 1989, Cooper comes to the town of Twin Peaks to investigate the murder of Laura Palmer. Initially, the prime suspect is Laura's boyfriend Bobby Briggs, but Cooper quickly determines he is innocent. Cooper meets Phillip Gerard, a shoe salesman who is possessed by an evil spirit called MIKE; MIKE tells him that another demon, BOB, is the key to solving Laura's murder. Eventually, Cooper deduces that Laura's father, Leland, murdered her while possessed by BOB. When BOB forces Leland to commit suicide, Cooper helps him transition into the afterlife by reciting a Buddhist prayer for the dead.