Death Penalty Sought For Man Charged With Murder Of Moore Teen

District Attorney Greg Mashburn has decided to pursue the death penalty for a man charged with first-degree murder in the death of a Moore teen.

Chace Cook was arrested in May in connection to the death of Madeline Bills, who was found dead in her bedroom on April 22, 2023.

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The document stating Mashburn is pursuing the death penalty argues that, “the murder was especially heinous, atrocious, or cruel.”

It also says, “there exists a probability that the defendant will commit criminal acts of violence that would constitute a continuing threat to society.”

The district attorney's office released a statement saying, "The decision to seek the death penalty was not made lightly. After reviewing the evidence of the case and speaking to the family it is our position that the death penalty is a fair and just punishment to seek in light of this defendant’s crimes."

The Bills family released a statement that says in part, “We fully support their decision to seek the death penalty for the defendant. We believe that this is an appropriate sentence given the heinous nature of the crime and the devastating impact on our family and community.”

Related: ‘Her Memory Keeps Us Going’: Moore High School Dedicated Jersey To Family Of Late Daughter

Throughout the investigation, it was found that Bills had a previous relationship with Cook, and that she had told friends she was scared of him and planned to sleep in the main residence for safety.

The investigation also places Cook’s vehicle at the scene the night of Bills’ death. Cook’s DNA also matches DNA taken from the initial on-scene investigation and the victim’s autopsy, according to the affidavit.

The affidavit also states that Cook’s phone was in the area of Bills’ home at the time of Bills’ death and contained videos of the alleged assault. Cook’s search history, according to the affidavit, revealed many relevant searches, including : ‘how long does a rape victim have to press charges,” “what happens if strangled for a long time,” “how to charge someone with rape,” “chloroform,” “how long does chloroform take to put someone tonsleep (sic),” “how long does chloroform take to make someone fall asleep when injected.”

Bills’ autopsy revealed she was strangled.

Below is the full Bills’ family statement:

“It has been nearly a year since our daughter, Madeline Marie Bills, was tragically taken from us. Our family continues to grieve her loss, and we are grateful for the support and comfort we have received from our community. 

“We wish to express our gratitude to District Attorney Greg Mashburn and his office for their tireless efforts in pursuing justice for Maddie. We fully support their decision to seek the death penalty for the defendant. We believe that this is an appropriate sentence given the heinous nature of the crime and the devastating impact on our family and community.

“Our family continues to respect the legal process, and we will cooperate fully with the prosecution as they proceed with the case. We ask for privacy during this difficult time as we negotiate the legal proceedings and as we continue to honor Maddie’s memory and impact in our lives.

“We thank the community for their continued support and for keeping Maddie and our family in their thoughts and prayers.”

Below is the district attorney's full statement:

"Our office filed a Bill of Particulars for the Death Penalty against Defendant Chace Cook. The decision to seek the death penalty was not made lightly. After reviewing the evidence of the case and speaking to the family it is our position that the death penalty is a fair and just punishment to seek in light of this defendant’s crimes. Our priority is to seek justice for Madeline Bills and our hearts go out to her family and friends as they continue to grieve."