Brent Burnest Cook
Birth: December 23, 1986
Death: December 26, 2007
Obituary
Brent Burnest Cook, 21, of Samson, Ala., died Dec. 26. He was born Dec. 23, 1986, in Geneva County, Ala.
Cook owned his lawn care business and, friends say, he worked hard to see it through. He was employed as a lead supervisor in the warehouse with H.B. Paulk/Hackney Company in Opp. He was a member of New Home Baptist Church.
Survivors include his mother, Lucille R. Pierce of Samson, Ala.; father, Bernest H. Cook of Darlington; two sisters, Karen D. Gautney and Kim Pierce both of Samson, Ala.; two brothers, Stacy Cook of Darlington and Tommy Cook of Ponce de Leon; several nieces and nephews, two special lifelong friends and several extended family members and close friends.
Services were held Dec. 29 in the funeral home chapel with the Rev. Donnie Earles officiating.
Burial was in Travelers Rest Cemetery with Sorrells Funeral Home of Geneva, Ala., directing.
Criminal Details
The Dothan Eagle
Matt Elofson – Dec 26, 2007
A Samson man was shot dead three days after his 21st birthday during a dispute over a woman.
Authorities say Matthew Leske, of Kinston, shot and killed 21-year-old Brent Cook during a dispute early Wednesday in the front yard at Tasha Saulter’s home near Samson off County Road 10, according to Max Motley, Geneva County Coroner. Motley said Cook suffered a single fatal gunshot wound.
“He was shot in the left upper chest, and it exited on the opposite side in his back near his shoulder,” Motley said. “It’s a sad, sad world that we live in. We will cowardly shoot our way out of any situation.”
Motley said Cook, of Samson, had dated Saulter for years until a recent break-up when she started a relationship with another man. Gunfire ended an argument between Cook and Saulter.
But Geneva County Sheriff’s Investigator Tony Helms said Saulter’s new boyfriend, the 18-year-old Leske, fired that fatal shot killing Cook.
“They were outside arguing some, and he pushed his way inside the home,” Motley said. “He (Cook) pushed her and shoved her some more, and then she ran next door.”
At some point the argument led them outside the home into the yard. Motley said a rifle was likely used during the shooting which happened around 1 a.m.
Saulter lives at the home with several other relatives, but it’s unclear whether they were at home when the shooting happened, Motley said.
Geneva County Sheriff’s investigators arrested Leske, and charged him murder. He’s held without bond at the Geneva County Jail, Helms said.
“Matt was at the house, and Cook was shot to death,” Helms said. “Brent’s an old boyfriend and Matt’s a new boyfriend. It’s an argument that escalated.”