North Adams man sentenced to life in prison for killing his wife

PITTSFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – A North Adams man was sentenced to life in prison after he was found guilty in connection with the death of his estranged wife, Charli Cook.

The charges stem from an incident in July 2019, when Michael Cook Sr. broke into Charli Cook’s home and attacked her while she was in bed, striking her in the back of the head with a hammer. Despite receiving medical care, she passed away five months later, with the Medical Examiner ruling her death a direct result of the brain injury caused by the assault.

Cook was convicted 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

A Berkshire County jury found Cook Sr. guilty of second-degree murder and multiple other charges. On Thursday, he was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 25 years.

District Attorney Shugrue said, “No sentence, regardless of length, will truly reckon for Michael Cook Sr.’s crimes. However, I hope that today brings a measure of closure and peace for Charli’s family and our community.” He adds, “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.”

Michael Cook is a registered level 3 sex offender in Massachusetts, which means he is classified at a high risk of re-offending. In 2011 he was convicted of three counts of rape of a child with force and one count of indecent assault and battery on a child under 14 years of age.

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