Chase Cook, 23, has been sentenced to life in prison without parole for the rape and murder of his ex-girlfriend, 18-year-old Madeline Bills. Cook received the sentence on Tuesday for the April 2023 murder.
Bills was days away from graduating high school and had plans to play college basketball. According to court documents, Cook entered Bills' home on the night of her death, raping her while she was unconscious. He recorded the assault on his phone, along with other devices. Bills' official cause of death was strangulation.
Evidence showed Cook had a history of entering Bills' property without permission. An arrest warrant affidavit detailed video footage of Cook jumping a fence to access the pool house where Bills lived. Neighbors' surveillance cameras captured a suspect matching Cook's description entering and exiting Bills' property on the morning of her death.
Prior to the murder, Bills had expressed fear of Cook and considered moving out of the pool house into the main residence, according to police. However, investigators noted no formal reports were filed that indicated a threat from Cook.
Cook was apprehended at a Navy boot camp in Illinois a little over a week after Bills' death. He initially provided a false alibi, claiming to be in Texas for Navy training. Investigators confirmed his presence in Oklahoma during the time of the murder through evidence including witness statements and vehicle tracking data.
Bills was remembered as a standout student and athlete. She maintained a 4.0 GPA and was a member of the Osage Tribe. She had signed to play women's basketball at Northeastern A&M in Miami, Oklahoma.
In addition to the murder charge, Cook was sentenced to 20 years for possession of contraband in jail and six months for assault and battery, which will run concurrently with his life sentence. He waived his right to an appeal.