The 26-year-old grew up in Gaston County and has a son who still lives in the area.
Cook’s 9-year-old son, Montana, has now lost both his parents to acts of violence.
Amanda Mabe was the child’s mother. The 22-year-old Gastonia woman died in August 2011 from a single gunshot wound.
Two men have been convicted in Mabe’s murder, one accepting a plea deal just four days after Cook’s death.
Violent night: Cook lived with his girlfriend, Jessica Lane Pack, and the woman’s father, Phillip Lee Green.
According to the Carter County Sheriff’s Office, Cook and Pack had been arguing Thursday night. Pack told investigators Cook hit her on the back of the head.
Green told Cook, “You’re not going to lay your hands on my daughter” and said something about shooting him, according to the Sheriff’s Office report.
Pack told investigators both men went to their bedrooms and each returned with a pistol.
Green fired a shot into Cook’s chest, returned the weapon to his bedroom then went outside to sit on a metal porch swing, Pack told detectives.
Green was still on the porch when deputies arrived, according to the report.
Mabe’s death: Two men were to blame for Mabe’s death, according to prosecutors.
Jeffery Scott Hughes pulled the trigger, but Victor Hugo Malagon was also responsible, the state maintained.
Malagon was getting prescription drugs for Hughes the night Mabe was killed.
The trio rode together to a Gastonia home, and Malagon was making the deal inside when Hughes got into an argument with a resident.
Malagon walked outside in time to see Hughes back down the driveway, pull out a gun and fire shots.
One bullet struck Mabe in the back and killed her.
Prison time: Hughes pleaded not guilty to the crime and rolled the dice with a jury, maintaining that he was defending himself when he fired his weapon.
Prosecutors said Hughes fired out of retaliation and that he was conducting a drug deal when Mabe was killed.
In North Carolina, a person is guilty of first-degree murder if he is committing a felony and someone gets killed because of his actions.
Jurors sided with the state and convicted Hughes of first-degree murder. He is serving a life sentence.
Malagon was charged with first-degree murder after Hughes’ trial was complete. Prosecutors also relied on the felony murder rule in accusing him.
He accepted a plea deal Monday, pleading guilty to involuntary manslaughter, drug trafficking, conspiracy to sell drugs and probation violation.
Malagon was sentenced to 14 to 18 years.
Lasting scars: Mabe’s mother and stepfather, Cynthia and Ken Gobble, were glad to hear of Malagon’s conviction Monday, though they were still recovering from the news of Cook’s death.
Cynthia Gobble said she’s known Cook since he was 12.
“He was a funny, silly little scrawny kid with glasses bigger than his head,” she said.
Though she hadn’t seen Cook recently, Gobble said his death has had an effect on her grandson.
“Montana will need counseling no doubt. Children are not resilient. They have scars for the rest of their lives,” she said.
Cook’s family did not want to speak about his death.
Tennessee authorities have not filed charges against Cook’s killer.
Capt. Jeff Markland with the Carter County Sheriff’s Office said the case is still under investigation.
You can reach Diane Turbyfill at 704-869-1817 and twitter.com/GazetteDiane.