On Friday, October 4th, Michael Cook Sr. was found guilty by a jury of his peers of five charges:
• Murder in the Second Degree
• Assault with Intent to Murder
• Assault and Battery by Means of a Dangerous Weapon Causing Serious Bodily Injury
• Assault and Battery on a Family/Household Member
• Armed Assault with Intent to Murder
On the evening of July 11, 2019, Michael Cook Sr. broke into the house of his estranged wife Charli Cook. Charli was in her bed when Cook assaulted her with a hammer to the back-side of her head. The assault resulted in significant injury to Charli’s skull causing traumatic brain injury. Charli passed away approximately five months after the assault. The Medical Examiner ruled Charli’s cause of death as a direct result of the brain injury from the July 11th assault.
Sentencing will take place on Thursday, October 10th at Berkshire Superior Court.
District Attorney Shugrue stated, “While today’s guilty verdict cannot bring Charli back to her friends and family, I am pleased with the jury’s decision. Charli, along with her friends and family, deserved justice, and today that justice has been served. I extend gratitude to everyone who came to Charli’s immediate aide and continued to help make this a successful case. I also want to recognize Assistant District Attorney Rachel Eramo, Assistant District Attorney Amy Winston, Assistant District Attorney Jocelyn McGrath, and Director of Victim Witness Advocates Jane Kibby-Pierce. Their unwavering dedication to this case, and to Charli, was clear throughout the trial.”
The District Attorney added, “Domestic violence is a devastating reality in the Berkshires. We must work together to proactively prevent domestic violence while also supporting survivors and achieving justice for the abuse they endured.”