Bobby Glen Cook | Murderpedia, the encyclopedia of murderers

Bobby Glen COOK

Classification: Murderer

Characteristics: Robbery

Number of victims: 1

Date of murder: February 6,

1993

Date of arrest: 4 days after

Date of birth: December 3,

1961

Victim profile: Edwin Earl Holder, 42

Method of murder: Shooting

Location: Anderson County, Texas, USA

Status: Executed by lethal injection in Texas on March 11,

2003

Summary:

On February 3, 1993, 42 year old Edwin Earl Holder left his home to go fishing at the Trinity River Bridge. Five days later his body was found inside a sleeping bag submerged with his vehicle in the river. He had been shot six times in the head.

A property owner nearby remembered seeing a red pick up truck at the site, which was later traced to the home Robin Jenkins and Steven Cockroft.

Both gave statements implicating Cook in the murder. A search of the residence uncovered items belonging to Holder.

Cook later gave a voluntary statement in which he admitted that he, Jenkins and Cockroft were at the bridge at the same time as Holder.

Cook claimed that he was helping Holder check his fishing lines, but he became frightened by Holder's behavior because Holder was drinking and waiving a gun around.

Cook claimed that at one point, Holder reached for his gun and Cook attempted to grab it and pull it away but the gun went off two or three times. Cook admitted disposing of some of Holder's belongings while keeping others.

Cook had prior felony convictions for Burglary (1983), Burglary (1987), Theft (1988), Burglary/Possession of Controlled Substance (1989), Theft (1991) and was most recently paroled on March 18, 1992, eleven months before the murder.

Accomplice Stephen Ray Cockroft was sentenced to life in prison after being convicted of capital murder in November 1994 in Anderson County. Accomplice Robin Elaine French Jenkins testified against Cook in exchange for a 15-year sentence on the lesser charge of robbery.

Final Meal:

A double meat cheeseburger, jalapenos and trimmings on the side, vanilla malt, french fries, onion rings, ketchup, picante sauce (hot), vanilla ice cream, 2 Cokes, 2 Dr. Peppers, chicken fried steak sandwich with cheese, pickles, lettuce, tomatoes and salad dressing.

Final Words:

"I would like to say to the victim's family, if this goes on record, that I know they have gotten grief and I know with this execution, it will not be any relief to them. That with my death, it will just remind them of their loved one, Mr. Holder. I would like to say to them, "please forgive me for what happened; it was self defense...and I was never able to get up on the stand to tell them." I know this is wrong. I am going home to the Lord."

ClarkProsecutor.org

Texas Attorney General

Media Advisory

Friday, March 7, 2003

BOBBY GLEN COOK Scheduled to be Executed.

AUSTIN - Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott offers the following information on Bobby Glen Cook, who is scheduled to be executed after 6 p.m. on Tuesday, March 11, 2003. On April 22, 1994, Bobby Glen Cook was sentenced to death for the capital murder of Edwin Earl Holder, which occurred in Cayuga, Texas, on or about Feb. 6, 1993. A summary of the evidence presented at trial follows:

FACTS OF THE CRIME

On the morning of Feb. 8, 1993, Nicki Pulley saw what he thought was a boat submerged off the east bank of the Trinity River near a gas station in Cayuga, Texas. On closer inspection, Pulley realized it was actually a blue truck, partially submerged in the water. Pulley poked at what appeared to be a sleeping bag and insulated underwear in the bed of the truck, and uncovered an arm and part of a shoulder. The rest of the body was submerged under water.

The Anderson County Sheriff's Department pulled the truck from the river and discovered the body of 42-year-old Edwin Earl Holder. Officers saw what appeared to be blood on the back bumper of the truck and splattered on the inside of the tailgate. The truck was in first gear, the ignition was on, and the windows were rolled up.

The medical examiner concluded that Holder died of six gunshot wounds to the head. The shots had been fired in rapid succession, from three feet or closer to Holder's head. One bullet entered and exited the forehead, but the remaining five .22-caliber bullets remained lodged in Holder's brain, any one of which would have been fatal. The close pattern of the wounds suggested that Holder was asleep in his sleeping bag when he was shot, and no struggle had occurred.

Holder had left his home on the morning of Feb. 5, 1993, to go fishing at the Trinity River Bridge. He took with him his blue Dodge truck packed with camping equipment, fishing gear and his boat. Holder's co-worker saw Holder's truck and boat trailer parked at the bridge by Baker's Landing around 2:30 p.m. that day. While the witness did not see Holder or his boat, he did see a red pickup truck and two white males building a camp fire.

Upon investigation of Baker's Landing, the police discovered evidence that Holder had been camping there, and found dirt that appeared to be mixed with blood. The .22-caliber bullets that killed Holder were consistent with the type of gun Holder usually carried with him on his fishing trips; however, no weapons were found in Holder's truck or at Baker's Landing, nor was Holder's wallet. A boat matching the description of Holder's was later found on the Trinity River, south of where Holder's truck was found. Several holes had been punched into the bottom of the boat, which had caused it to partially sink.

Walter Grolemund, an employee from the gas station near where Holder's body was found, told the police that on Feb. 6, 1993, around 3:00 a.m., he heard a loud muffler. From the door, he could see the tail lights of one vehicle as well as a red and white truck with a loud exhaust system, parked about 60 to 75 yards from the river. Grolemund informed the driver of the red truck that he was on private property. The driver told Grolemund that he was having problems with his truck, however, the driver appeared nervous and would not look at Grolemund.

After speaking with four men who were at the river on Feb. 6, 1993, the police obtained a composite drawing of two suspects and a description of a red and white Chevrolet pickup truck. Based on the composite drawing and the description of the truck, the police went to the residence of Robin Jenkins and Steven Cockroft, where they discovered a red and white pickup truck.

On Feb. 9, 1993, officers obtained a statement from Jenkins and Cockroft, implicating Cook in the murder. Cook was later arrested at Jenkins and Cockroft's residence. A search of the residence uncovered items belonging to Holder.

On Feb. 10, 1993, Cook gave a voluntary statement in which he admitted that he, Jenkins and Cockroft were at the bridge at the same time as Holder. Cook claimed that he was helping Holder check his fishing lines, but he became frightened by Holder's behavior because Holder was drinking and waiving a gun around. Cook claimed that at one point, Holder reached for his gun and Cook attempted to grab it and pull it away but the gun went off two or three times. Cook admitted disposing of some of Holder's belongings while keeping others.

PROCEDURAL HISTORY

Cook was tried before a jury in the 3rd Judicial District Court of Anderson County, Texas, for intentionally and knowingly causing the death of Edwin Earl Holder by shooting him with a firearm, while in the course of committing or attempting to commit robbery. Cook was convicted on April 21, 1994, and on April 22, 1994, following a separate punishment hearing, the trial court sentenced Cook to death.

On direct appeal, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals affirmed Cook's conviction and sentence. His conviction became final on April 22, 1997, when the time for filing a petition for writ of certiorari in the United States Supreme Court expired.

Cook's petition for writ of habeas corpus in the state court was filed on Dec. 2, 1997, and the state court held an evidentiary hearing on Aug. 28, 1998. The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals denied Cook's petition for writ of habeas corpus on March 10, 1999.

Cook's federal petition for writ of habeas corpus was denied on May 8, 2001. The district court also denied Certificate Of Appealability ("COA") on July 24, 2001. Cook's request for COA from the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals was denied, without oral argument, on March 18, 2002. The Supreme Court denied Cook's request for certiorari review on Oct. 7, 2002. An execution date was set for Feb. 5, 2003, but was subsequently reset for March 11, 2003.

PRIOR CRIMINAL HISTORY

On Jan. 13, 1983, Cook was placed on six years probation for burglary. This probation was revoked when Cook committed burglary again.

On July 16, 1987, Cook pleaded guilty and was sentenced to imprisonment for six years for each of two counts of burglary of a vehicle. Cook was paroled in March 1988.

On Aug. 5, 1988, Cook pleaded guilty and was sentenced to five years for theft. He was paroled on Jan. 26, 1989.

On Sept. 22, 1989, Cook was sentenced to 10 years for possession of a controlled substance and for burglary of a building. He was paroled again on Aug. 21, 1990.

On May 23, 1991, Cook was found guilty of theft and was sentenced to eight years in prison. He was paroled on March 18, 1992.

ProDeathPenalty.com

A 40-year-old Corsicana man convicted of murdering a Buffalo man almost 10 years ago near the Trinity River is scheduled to be executed on March 11, 2003. Bobby Glen Cook, 40, of Corsicana is scheduled to die by lethal injection on Feb. 5, 2003 for the February 1993 shooting death of Edwin Earl Holder, 42, of Buffalo. An execution date was set by 369th State District Judge Bascom W. Bentley III.

On the morning of Feb. 8, 1993, a passerby saw what he thought was a boat submerged off the east bank of the Trinity River near a gas station in Cayuga, Texas. On closer inspection, he realized it was actually a blue truck, partially submerged in the water. The man poked at what appeared to be a sleeping bag and insulated underwear in the bed of the truck, and uncovered an arm and part of a shoulder.

The rest of the body was submerged under water. The Anderson County Sheriff's Department pulled the truck from the river and discovered the body of 42-year-old Edwin Earl Holder. Officers saw what appeared to be blood on the back bumper of the truck and splattered on the inside of the tailgate.

The truck was in first gear, the ignition was on, and the windows were rolled up. The medical examiner concluded that Holder died of six gunshot wounds to the head.

The shots had been fired in rapid succession, from three feet or closer to Holder's head. One bullet entered and exited the forehead, but the remaining five .22-caliber bullets remained lodged in Holder's brain, any one of which would have been fatal. The close pattern of the wounds suggested that Holder was asleep in his sleeping bag when he was shot, and no struggle had occurred.

Holder had left his home on the morning of Feb. 5, 1993, to go fishing at the Trinity River Bridge. He took with him his blue Dodge truck packed with camping equipment, fishing gear and his boat.

Holder's co-worker saw Holder's truck and boat trailer parked at the bridge by Baker's Landing around 2:30 p.m. that day.

While the witness did not see Holder or his boat, he did see a red pickup truck and two white males building a camp fire. Holder had been reported missing by his wife the previous day after failing to meet a friend for a fishing/camping trip. Upon investigation of Baker's Landing, the police discovered evidence that Holder had been camping there, and found dirt that appeared to be mixed with blood.

The .22-caliber bullets that killed Holder were consistent with the type of gun Holder usually carried with him on his fishing trips; however, no weapons were found in Holder's truck or at Baker's Landing, nor was Holder's wallet.

A boat matching the description of Holder's was later found on the Trinity River, south of where Holder's truck was found. Several holes had been punched into the bottom of the boat, which had caused it to partially sink.

An employee from the gas station near where Holder's body was found, told the police that on Feb. 6, 1993, around 3:00 a.m., he heard a loud muffler.

From the door, he could see the tail lights of one vehicle as well as a red and white truck with a loud exhaust system, parked about 60 to 75 yards from the river. The gas station employee informed the driver of the red truck that he was on private property.

The driver told him that he was having problems with his truck, however, the driver appeared nervous and would not look at the man. After speaking with four men who were at the river on Feb. 6, 1993, the police obtained a composite drawing of two suspects and a description of a red and white Chevrolet pickup truck.

Based on the composite drawing and the description of the truck, the police went to the residence of Robin Jenkins and Steven Cockroft, where they discovered a red and white pickup truck.

Judge Bentley set Cook’s execution date after the U.S. Supreme Court denied the defendant’s writ for certiorari. Anderson County District Attorney Doug Lowe, who was not in office when Cook was convicted in 1994, sounded confident the execution would proceed as planned in February. “Based on my experience, I think Mr. Cook is going to get what he deserves on that date,” Lowe said. “I don’t think anybody can do anything for him. I think what it shows is our system works,” he continued. “It works slowly. The defendant had the benefit of a lot of good lawyers. He got what he needed to get.”

During a 1994 trial, then-Anderson County District Attorney Jeff Herrington told the nine-man, three-woman jury that Cook shot and killed Holder for $21 and fishing equipment that was to be split with an accomplice. Cook, a ninth-grade dropout with an extensive criminal past, shot Holder with the victim’s own .22-caliber handgun while the man was asleep in a sleeping bag, the state argued during the trial.

The accomplice, Stephen Ray Cockroft, now 37, of Dawson was sentenced to life in prison after being convicted of capital murder in November 1994 in Anderson County.

A third defendant, Robin Elaine French Jenkins, 31, of Dawson testified against Cook in exchange for a 15-year sentence on the lesser charge of robbery.

Previously, Cook had served 8 months of a 6 year sentence in 1987 for burglary of a vehicle. He was back in prison within six months after receiving a 5 year sentence for theft, and was again paroled in only 4 months. Cook went back to prison again less than a year later with a 10 year sentence for drugs and burglary convictions for which he served less than a year.

Then one year later, in 1991, returned to prison with an 8 year sentence for theft and served only 6 months. He had been on parole for less than a year when Holder was murdered.

299th Execution Planned Today

By Mark Passwaters - Huntsville Item

03/10/03

Bobby Glen Cook, sentenced to death for the 1993 murder of an Anderson County man, is scheduled to be executed tonight at the Huntsville "Walls" Unit. If his sentence is carried out, Cook with be the 299th person executed in Texas since the death penalty was reinstated in 1982.

Prosecutors successfully claimed Cook was one of three people involved in the killing of Edwin Earl Holder on or about Feb. 6, 1993.

Holder left his home on the morning of Feb. 5, 1993, to go fishing, but never returned. His body was discovered three days later, when a man examined what he thought was a partially submerged boat in the Trinity River near the town of Cayuga.

What was initially thought to be a boat turned out to be Holder's truck, with his body - which had been put in a sleeping bag - inside. The truck was in gear, with the ignition on and the windows up. After they were called to the scene, Anderson County Sheriff's deputies discovered what they believed to be blood on the truck's back bumper and the tailgate.

What investigators found when they removed Holder's body from the truck was a bloody mess. Holder had been shot six times in the head by a .22 caliber gun.

The medical examiner who performed the postmortem on Holder's body said the shots were fired from less than three feet away and that any of the bullets - all of which struck Holder's brain - would have been fatal. Due to the proximity of the shooter to Holder when the shots were fired, it was believed he was murdered in his sleep.

After talking to a number of witnesses who were on or near the river on Feb. 6, investigators began looking for two men who were seen near Holder's campsite in a red and white Chevrolet pickup truck.

The search led authorities to the residence of Robin Jenkins and Steven Cockroft, who were taken into custody and questioned about their roles in the killing. Each pointed the finger at Cook as the trigger man. Cook was arrested Feb. 10, and told authorities he had shot Holder, but did it during a struggle.

Cook's story did not pass muster with an Anderson County jury, who convicted Cook of capital murder in April 1994 and sentenced him to death. Both Jenkins and Cockroft were given life sentences for their roles in the crime.

Cook's appeals appear to be exhausted, as the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles rejected his requests for a stay or commutation of sentence Monday by an 18-0 vote. Barring a stay from Gov. Rick Perry, Cook's sentence will be carried out sometime after 6 p.m.

Texas Execution Information Center by David Carson

Txexecutions.org

Bobby Glen Cook, 41, was executed by lethal injection on 11 March 2003 in Huntsville, Texas for the robbery and murder of a 42-year-old man.

On 8 February 1993, Nicki Pulley was at a gas station near Cayuga when he spotted a large object partially submerged in the Trinity River. Moving closer to take a look, he noticed that the object was a blue pickup truck, and that there was a dead body in the bed, inside a sleeping bag.

The Anderson County sheriff's department pulled the truck from the river. The body was identified as Edwin Earl Holder, 42. The officers noted that the truck was in first gear, the ignition switch was on, and the windows were rolled up.

The medical examiner found six gunshot entry wounds and one exit wound in Holder's head. Five .22-caliber bullets were still lodged in his brain. According to the autopsy, the shots were tightly grouped and were fired from no more than three feet away. The medical examiner, finding no sign of a struggle, theorized that Holder was shot while sleeping in his sleeping bag.

Holder's wife had reported him missing the previous day. She said that her husband left on 5 February to go camping and fishing on the Trinity River. He packed his blue Dodge pickup truck with camping and fishing gear, and also took his boat and trailer. Holder's boat was later found downriver, with the engine missing. It had holes punched in the bottom and was partially submerged.

Walter Grolemund, an employee at the gas station where Holder's truck was spotted, told police that on 6 February at 3:00 a.m., he heard a loud muffler. He saw two vehicles, including a noisy red and white truck, parked about 60 to 75 yards from the river. Grolemund said that when he told the driver that he was on private property, the driver told him he was having truck problems. Grolemund told police that the driver appeared nervous and would not look at him.

After speaking with other witnesses, police arrived at the residence of Robin Jenkins, 21, and Steven Cockroft, 28, where they discovered a red and white pickup truck.

The couple implicated Bobby Cook, then 28, in Holder's murder. Cook was later arrested at Jenkins and Cockroft's residence. Some of Holder's belongings were found there.

Cook gave a statement in which he admitted that he, Jenkins, and Cockroft were at the river at the same time as Holder. He said that Holder was drinking and waving a gun around.

Cook said that he became frightened and attempted to grab Holder's gun, but it went off two or three times. Cook admitted to disposing of some of Holder's belongings while keeping others, including his outboard motor and some of his camping gear.

Cook had at least four prior felony convictions and had spent most of the preceding eight years in prison. He served 3 years of a 6-year burglary conviction from 1985 to 1988. Six months after being released, he was returned on a parole violation with a new 5-year sentence for theft.

He served four months before being paroled again in January 1989. By November 1989, he was in prison again with a 10-year sentence for burglary. He served 9 months of that sentence and was paroled for the third time in August 1990.

In September 1991, he returned to prison with an 8-year sentence for theft. He was paroled for the fourth time in March 1992, after serving 6 months. (At the time, early release was common in Texas due to strict prison population caps imposed by U.S. District Judge William Wayne Justice.)

A jury convicted Cook of capital murder in April 1994 and sentenced him to death. The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals affirmed the conviction and sentence in January 1997. All of his subsequent appeals in state and federal court were denied.

Steven Ray Cockroft, who also had an extensive history of felony burglary and theft, was convicted of capital murder in a subsequent trial and was sentenced to life in prison. Robin Elaine French Jenkins pled guilty to robbery and received a 15-year sentence in exchange for her testimony against Cook.

On death row, Cook repeated his version of the story. "I've never been violent," he said in an interview. "Just thefts." Cook said that he committed burglaries and thefts to support his methamphetamine habit. Describing the shooting, Cook told an interviewer, "the dude pulled a gun on me."

He said that Holder pulled the trigger, but the gun misfired. That's when he grabbed it and shot Holder. "If the gun hadn't misfired, I'd be dead," he said. Cook said that he threw the pistol, which was never found, into the river. As for the $21, "I think I spent it on gas."

None of the victim's family witnessed Cook's execution. Nevertheless, Cook asked them for forgiveness. "Please forgive me for what happened," Cook said. "It was self defense ... I was never able to get up on the stand to tell them ... I know this is wrong, but I'm going home to the Lord." His last statement finished, the lethal injection was begun. Cook was pronounced dead at 6:20 p.m.

Killer of Camper Executed in Texas

By Robert Anthony Phillips - TheDeathHouse.com

March 12, 2003

HUNTSVILLE, Tex. - HUNTSVILLE, Tex. - A man who pumped six bullets into the head of a sleeping camper in 1993 was executed by lethal injection. Bobby Cook, 42, became the 299th convicted killer executed in Texas since 1982, when executions resumed in the state. Delma Banks could become a historical footnote Wednesday night, becoming the 300th convicted murder to be executed in the state.

Cook was convicted of the February 1993 murder of Edwin Earl Holder, who was camping along the Trinity River in Cayuga. Two men who participated in the robbery of Holder both pointed the finger at Cook as the killer. Holder's body was found in his truck, which was partially submerged in the river.

While on the execution gurney, Cook gave a short statement apologizing for the slaying of Holder, but insisted he shot the victim in self defense during a struggle over a gun. But prosecutors said the evidence showed that Holder was shot six times in the head at close range.

Cook was pronounced dead at 6:20 p.m., eight minutes after the lethal dose of drugs began. He became the 10th condemned killer put to death in Texas in 2003. The only witness at the execution was Cook's spiritual advisor, a Texas Department of Crimnal Justice spokeswoman said.

Cook and the other men had stole less than $25 from Holder, along with camping equipment and a boat engine. Cook had a record of burglary and theft convictions dating back to 1987.

Prosecutors said Holder appeared to have been shot six times in the head as he slept in his sleeping bag. Cook later told police that he was helping Holder with fishing lines when a struggle ensued. He said Holder was drinking, became agitated and pulled a gun. Cook claimed when he wrestled with Holder for the gun, the weapon fired two or three times. Cook also admitted that he kept some of Holder's belongings after the victim was dead.

National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty

Bobby Cook (TX) - March 11, 2003 - 6:00 CST, 7:00 EST

The state of Texas is scheduled to execute Bobby Cook, a white man, Feb. 5 for the murder of Edwin Holder. Cook, along with two accomplices, allegedly robbed and killed the 42-year-old Buffalo resident somewhere along the Trinity River near Cayuga on Feb. 6, 1993. Investigators found Holder’s body in the back of his pick-up truck, which was submerged in the river. An Anderson County jury sentenced him to death in 1994, and his appeals have been unsuccessful thus far.

The state also convicted Steven Ray Cockroft of capital murder in the Holder case, but he received a life sentence. Meanwhile, Robin Jenkins – the third defendant charged – testified against Cook, and in exchange, received a 15-year sentence on a robbery charge. Cook, unlike the others, now finds himself on death row, and his pending execution clearly demonstrates the arbitrary nature of the death penalty system.

Cook, a native of Navarro County, dropped out of school in ninth grade. He faced burglary charges numerous times before the Holder murder, and spent several years in prison between 1987 and 1992. Carrying out this execution will only represent the state’s participation in, and perpetuation of the cycle of violence and crime that has defined Cook’s life to this point.

At a time when most states with death penalty statutes are debating legislative bills to halt executions or minimize the pool of people eligible for capital punishment, Texas continues to proceed without caution. Please write Gov. Rick Perry and the Pardon and Parole Board and protest the execution of Bobby Cook.

Inmate Executed for 1993 Murder

Ex-parolee claims self-defense, apologizes to family of victim

Houston Cronicle

Associated Press - March 12, 2003

HUNTSVILLE -- A convicted burglar and thief paroled from prison numerous times apologized and then was executed Tuesday for robbing and fatally shooting a sleeping East Texas fisherman 10 years ago.

In a brief statement, Bobby Glen Cook said he would like to tell his victim's family that he knows "they've got grief and I know with this execution it will not be any relief to them. With my death, it will just remind them of their loved one." None of the victim's relatives were there to witness the execution.

Cook asked for forgiveness and repeated his assertion that the shooting was in self-defense. "I was never able to get up on the stand to tell them," he continued, his voice choking with emotion. "I know this is wrong, but I'm going home to the Lord." He gasped slightly as the drugs began taking effect. Eight minutes later, at 6:20 p.m., he was pronounced dead.

Cook, 41, of Corsicana had been free for 10 months on his fourth parole when he was arrested for the slaying of Edwin Earl Holder, 42, of Buffalo. Cook was the 10th Texas prisoner executed this year and the 299th since the state resumed carrying out capital punishment in 1982. Cook's appeals were exhausted. In the Cook case, the former painter, heavy-equipment operator and concrete truck driver admitted being a thief but said he was no killer.

"I've never been violent," he said in a recent interview. "Just thefts." At the time of the slaying, Cook had five convictions -- three for burglary and two for theft -- had been to prison four times and was paroled four times, committing another crime each time while on parole.