DA Hoovler Announces Indictment in Strangulation Case

November 10, 2017

District Attorney Hoovler Announces Indictment in Strangulation Case

Man charged with Manslaughter in the First Degree for Strangling a Woman
to Death inside a City of Newburgh Residence

Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler announced that on Wednesday, November 8, 2017, Kevin Cook, 59, of Chicago, was arraigned before Orange County Court Judge Robert H. Freehill on an indictment charging him with Manslaughter in the First Degree, Manslaughter in the Second Degree, Strangulation in the First Degree, and Strangulation in the Second Degree. The indictment alleges that Cook intended to cause serious physical injury to a 47 year-old woman when he strangled her to death inside of his brother’s Newburgh residence on October 14, 2017. Cook was remanded to the Orange County Jail without bail. Cook is next scheduled to appear in County Court on November 29, 2017.

District Attorney Hoovler thanked the City of Newburgh Police Department for their investigation and the arrest of Cook.

The case is being prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Michael Milza

“There is no more important case than one involving the loss of life,” said District Attorney Hoovler. “I commend the City of Newburgh Police for their investigation of this case. My office will continue to seek severe prison sentences in cases where intentional violence leads to death. Men who assault and strangle women deserve lengthy prison sentences.”

A criminal charge is merely an allegation that a defendant has committed a violation of the criminal law, and it is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the State of New York’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.