Robert Cooke: 'This is not a person' 03:36 PM CST on Thursday, November 9, 2006 KVUE News A man already serving a life sentence is now charged in the murder of Rachel Cooke. It's been nearly five years since the 19-year-old girl disappeared while jogging near her home in Williamson County. Her body has still not been found. Michael Keith Moore is serving three life sentences for the 2003 murder of Christina Moore in Round Rock. The Dell executive was pregnant at the time she was killed. The victim and killer are not related. Moore was convicted in February of 2006. Thursday morning during a hearing before 368th District Court Judge Burt Carnes, Moore pleaded not guilty to Cooke's murder. He waived his right to indictment. Court documents say that Moore hit Cooke with a hammer and suffocated her. According to Williamson County District Attorney John Bradley, prosecutors had expected Moore to plead guilty. During a news conference, Bradley called the developments "unexpected and disappointing." "The sheriff and I were led to believe that this morning Michael Keith Moore was prepared to take responsibility for the disappearance of Rachel Cooke," bradley said. "We did a lot of work to verify the accuracy of that willingness." Michael Moore appears in court Thursday morning. According to prosecutors, Moore contacted authorities in August to talk about the Cooke slaying. They say he confessed things that only someone involved would have known. Williamson County authorities worked out a plea agreement with Moore to help bring closure for the family. The deal would have added a fourth life sentence onto the three Moore is already serving. The sentence would have run concurrently. Bradley said Moore has the right to change his mind and plead not guilty but that it was hurtful for Cooke's family. "We feel like we're being victimized for a second time. We've developed a new motto today, and that's 'We're not done yet.' We believe they have the right person, based on his confession and other things, and we just need to finish the case," said Robert Cooke, victim's father. "I think it's hard to consider him a person. This is not a person. I'm extremely angry, but I've been angry for four years." The charge of murder will stand, and it could be upgraded to capital murder. Authorities say they will work to prosecute Moore in Cooke's death. "He's decided to play with us a little bit, but we're still here. We're not going away," said Janet Cooke, victim's mother. The family Wednesday that Moore would be charged in Rachel's death. They had been told Moore would plead guilty. The not-guilty plea delays the closure this family was so desperately hoping for. "I just couldn't believe that he would put us through this. What his motives were to string us along? Tell all the information he's told so far and not go through with it?" said Robert Cooke, who said he hopes Moore remains in prison the rest of his life. "Come forward, be a man. For once in your life, tell the truth." The Williamson County Sheriff's Office and several other law enforcement agencies have been investigating the case since Cooke disappeared on January 10, 2002. Cooke was last seen near her home in the Northlake development on F.M. 3405, northwest of Georgetown. Detectives believe she disappeared near the end of her 3 to 4 mile run around 11 a.m. There have been massive searches and nationwide publicity about the case, but past searches have failed to turn up any evidence as to Cooke's whereabouts. Robert Cooke, Rachel's father, has become an activist for issues related to missing persons. He writes a blog about the search for Rachel on KVUE.com. http://www.kvue.com/news/top/stories/110906kvuerachelcooke1-eh.1df4e24f.html

DA says Moore confessed to Cooke's murder, then backed out of deal Williamson County prosecutors intend to bring case to trial if agreement is not reached. By Katie Humphrey, Chuck Lindell AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF Thursday, November 09, 2006 GEORGETOWN — Backing out of a deal with prosecutors, convicted murderer Michael Keith Moore pleaded not guilty to the death of Rachel Cooke, a Georgetown woman who has been missing since January 2002, after he was charged with her murder in court this morning. His plea surprised Williamson County District Attorney John Bradley, who said that Moore had confessed to the killing and had reneged on an agreement to plead guilty. Rachel Cooke was 19 when she vanished while jogging near her parents' home in the Northlake subdivision northwest of Georgetown on Jan. 10, 2002. Michael Moore was convicted in February of murdering Christina Moore, no relation. "(Sheriff James Wilson) and I were led to believe that Michael Keith Moore was prepared to take responsibility for the death of Rachel Cooke," Bradley said at a press conference following the plea. Moore, who has been in prison for murdering Christina Moore, told authorities in August that he had information about Cooke's disappearance, Bradley said. "There were several things that Moore told us that only the person involved . . . could have known," Wilson said. "We verified the facts he gave us; it was completely obvious that he had to have been there . . . and his confession was in all likelihood true." Bradley and Wilson wouldn't provide details about the crime or the confession. They said that if an agreement isn't reached with Moore's defense attorneys, they will bring the case to trial. Their previous agreement with Moore called for another concurrent life sentence, to be served on top of the four he is already serving, which would allow Moore to be eligible for parole in 30 years. However, Bradley said the case could become a capital murder charge if it goes to trial. "The worst thing for someone to do is to get me to notice them," Bradley said, in discussing the possibility of taking the case to trial. Cooke's family was kept apprised of the agreement, including the life sentence, and gave their approval, Bradley said. Moore's not guilty plea came after Judge Burt Carnes arraigned the 31-year-old on the murder charge earlier this morning in the 368th District Court in Williamson County. Cooke's family and friends filled half of the small courtroom, with many wearing buttons bearing her photo. "How do you plead?" Carnes asked Moore after calling him to the bench. "Not guilty," Moore replied. Carnes looked up quickly and said, "Will you repeat that for me?" "Not guilty." Carnes sent Moore back to the defense table, where he had a four-minute conference with his attorneys. Defense attorneys and prosecutors then approached the bench and Carnes called for a 15-minute recess to determine whether the not guilty plea would be a temporary delay or a major breakdown. Moore left the courtroom to confer in private with his attorneys. About an hour and 15 minutes later, Carnes came back into court to announce that the Moore case stands in recess until further notice. Asked if he had a statement for reporters, defense attorney Steve Brittain said, "We're not done yet." Brittain and Moore's other defense attorney, Allan Williams, conferred with him until 3 p.m. Cooke's parents had strong words for Moore after the plea surprise. Her father, Robert Cooke, said the family believes that authorities have the right person, based on his confession and other evidence. "We feel like we are being victimized a second time," he said. "I just can't believe he would put us through this, to string us along," her mother, Janet Cooke, told reporters. Moore was charged by a one-page criminal information, which was filed last night by Bradley. The filing charges Moore with killing Rachel Cooke "by striking her with a hammer, by suffocating her, by some manner and means unknown, or by a combination of these acts." The filing differs from an indictment in that it is usually filed when the defendant has agreed to plead guilty. The defendant also waives the right to indictment in the filing. The charge connects two of the highest-profile cases in recent Williamson County history: Cooke's 2002 disappearance and the 2003 murder of Christina Moore, who was not related to Michael Moore, in her Round Rock home. A Williamson County jury in February convicted Michael Moore of murdering Christina Moore. Cooke was 19 when she vanished while jogging near her parents' home in the Northlake subdivision northwest of Georgetown on Jan. 10, 2002. Officials have said that neighbors last saw her jogging at about 10:30 a.m., 100 or 200 yards from her home. Her disappearance rocked the usually quiet community in Williamson County and drew both local and national media attention. Hundreds of volunteers helped search for Cooke on foot and horseback in the days following her disappearance. They later drove around Central Texas distributing flyers with Cooke's picture. Her parents have made numerous pleas for anyone with information about the case to come forward. They have helped organize runs in honor of Cooke, who was an all-state cross country runner in high school, and dedicated a tree in her name at her alma mater, Georgetown High School. The family has also offered a $50,000 reward for information that could lead to a break in the case. And in January 2004, the Williamson County sheriff's office assembled a multi-agency team, including investigators from the Austin Police Department and the FBI, to examine the case. But no one was ever charged in connection with Cooke's disappearance until this morning. Michael Moore was convicted in February of murdering 35-year-old Christina Moore on Sept. 23, 2003. Christina Moore was 14 weeks pregnant when Michael Moore slit her throat as she knelt on the floor of her bedroom closet, her right arm restrained by a handcuff. He then stole her purse, some jewelry and her wedding rings, according to testimony heard during the trial. Her husband, Robert Moore, came home to find his wife dead and the couple's then 15-month-old daughter Gracie crying, unharmed, in her crib. Michael Moore targeted Christina Moore's home because he had planned to steal checks and credit cards and thought it would be easier to use them if he stole them from someone with the same last name, according to testimony from a habitual felon who claimed that Michael Moore had confessed to him while they were both in custody at the Williamson County Jail. Prosecutors had sought a capital murder conviction and death sentence, but the jury acquitted Moore on that charge, choosing instead to convict him of murder, aggravated robbery and aggravated kidnapping. It was the first time prosecutors in Williamson County had sought a capital murder conviction and lost. Before the punishment phase of the trial could begin, however, Michael Moore pleaded guilty to all three charges. He also pleaded guilty to an unrelated robbery charge and a firearm possession charge. http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/11/10/10case.html

Why Moore May Have Changed His Plea Nov 10, 2006 06:12 PM CST Convicted killer Michael Keith Moore admitted to investigators he murdered Rachel Cooke in 2002. Moore had agreed to plead guilty to the charge. He shocked his own attorneys and an entire courtroom Thursday by entering a not guilty plea. Angry prosecutors say they may now seek a capitol murder charge meaning he could face the death penalty if convicted. Friday night, Moore is back at a state prison cell in Gatesville. Three months ago, the career criminal contacted Williamson County investigators to say he had information on Rachel's disappearance. So now the question on everyone's mind is "Why did Moore previously confess to this crime and why did the district attorney believe him?" KXAN NBC Austin's Sonta Henderson spoke with a judge who has some insight on just how unpredictable defendants like Moore can be. Court hearings may appear to be run of the mill, but Michael Moore's case is anything but run of the mill. We found out sometimes defendants don't have much to lose, and they will Moore is leaving his mark in Williamson County in more ways than one by backing out of a deal connecting him to the 2002 disappearance of Rachel Cooke. The convicted murderer has everyone talking about the confession he's now recanting. District Judge Jon Wisser says he's seen people confess for all sorts of reasons. "Maybe they just want to get out of jail. Maybe they want to get in front of the television cameras again," Wisser said. This is what Williamson County Sheriff James Wilson says about Moore's confession. "It was pretty obvious that he had to have been there, had to have been in the location," Wilson said on Thursday. "It certainly would make the state's case easier if they had a body and could perform autopsy. Certainly would verify his confession," Wisser said. "His confession is in all likelihood true," Wilson said on Thursday. "I assume they've gone to lengths to verify that confession because as we all know it is not uncommon for people to confess to heinous crime and later we find out they did not commit the crime. If he says he dumped the body in the Gulf of Mexico, and they can find gas receipts between here and the gulf, that would prove that he was there.," Wisser said. Still, what would make Moore come into a courtroom before a judge and defense attorneys and change his mind on what appears to be a win-win deal, Wisser says we may never know. "The defendants we're dealing with here are generally not the best and the brightest. They are people who have never made good decisions in their life. They're very indecisive. They're erratic," Wisser said. Eight days after Cooke disappeared, Moore was in the Williamson County Jail on unrelated charges stemming from a parole violation. http://www.kxan.com/Global/story.asp?S=5664074&nav=menu73_4_1

Case solved, or cruel hoax? 06:48 PM CST on Friday, November 10, 2006 By RUDY KOSKI KVUE News One day after a prime suspect in the Rachel Cooke case backs out of a plea deal, new doubts surfaced Friday over whether Michael Keith Moore had anything to do with the teenager's disappearance. Michael Moore appears in court Thursday morning. Somewhere along the Texas gulf coast, near Matagorda Bay, is the location of Cooke's body. That is the story Moore gave prosecutors, according to his attorney, Allan Williams. "They had told me it was over 100 miles away, which was kind of a relief for us, because we had quit searching," said Robert Cooke, Rachel's father. But Robert Cooke says he was never told that Moore claimed he dumped his daughter's body into the Gulf of Mexico. He also didn't know that Moore told prosecutors the abduction was a random act of violence. "I don't know if I believe it 100 percent, but I have faith that they've interviewed him and there is a reason to pursue this," he said. There was no official crime scene -- just a general area where Rachel was last seen January 10, 2002. She was out jogging near here parents home. Williams, and his co-defense counsel, Steve Brittan, say they did not know Moore was going to back out of the deal to plead guilty. But they also were not surprised. According to Williams, he knows of no physical evidence linking his client to Cooke's disappearance. According to court documents, investigators believe Moore sexually assaulted Cooke and then used a hammer and suffocated the 19-year-old. "There were several things that Michael told us that only the person who was involved in the abduction and probably the slaying of Rachel could have known," said James Wilson, Williamson County Sheriff. About the time Moore was making his claim, another high profile murder case appeared to be solved. In August, Jon Mark Karr came out of nowhere saying he killed Jon Benet Ramsey. DNA proved Karr was not the killer. There is a possibility Moore, saw the coverage and is simply a copycat. And because they don't know if the answer lies somewhere along the Texas Gulf coast, or closer to home, the family of Rachel Cooke will continue to search for the truth. "We are not done yet," Robert Cooke said. http://www.kvue.com/news/local/stories/111006kvuecookefolo-cb.24d9ea18.html

Murder charges dropped in Rachel Cooke case 10:04 PM CST on Monday, November 13, 2006 By Rudy Koski / KVUE News They got the wrong man. That's what the former sheriff of Williamson County is saying about the latest set back in the Rachel Cooke investigation. Former Sheriff Jim Wilson voiced his concerns Monday as prosecutors formally dropped the murder charge against Michael Moore. The Rachel Cooke case is back to square one. Former sheriff Jim Wilson believes the case will eventually get back on a trail his team identified about two years ago. Prosecutors spent Monday at the Williamson county justice center, rebuilding their investigation into the disappearance of Rachel Cooke. A bulk of that work still appears to be focus on convicted murder Michael Moore. When asked if he believes they are looking at the right man, Wilson said, “I just don't feel like he is." Jim Wilson understands the disappointment prosecutors must be feeling right now, after being embarrassed last week by Moore. But Wilson points out trying to make a deal with Moore without having hard evidence in hand was risky. He believes Moore’s reason to cooperate had nothing to do with trying to clear his conscientious. "As far as Michael Moore, … when he was in jail the last time, he escaped through some jail doors, I have a gut feeling he wanted to either come back to try to escape, or the DA's office sent him down for the other murders, which I feel he is guilty of, and maybe he just wanted to make a fool out of them," said Wilson. Convicted for the 2003 murder of a pregnant Round Rock mother, Moore contacted prosecutors in August claiming he also killed Rachel Cooke in 2002. According to his attorney, Allan Williams, Moore claimed he dumped her body into the Gulf of Mexico. Thursday, he denied it. On Friday, Rachel’s father questioned where the case was heading. "It gives a little doubt, but I have to put some trust into the investigators," said Robert Cooke. A murder charge against Michael Moore, Monday morning, was officially dropped. It was a more that was more formality than function as was expected. But District Attorney John Bradley is not ready to walk away from Moore. As part of the motion, he wrote that the investigation will continue and future charges will now be given first to a grand jury. No more pre-plea media events, like what took place on Thursday, are expected The decision to drop the murder charge is of little comfort for former sheriff Jim Wilson. He is worried key information is being overlooked. When asked if he has an idea as to who is responsible for Cooke’s disappearance Wilson said, “I've got a feeling that it is one of our suspects, it could be." Wilson is not a liberty to provide details about who he suspects, because the information is still part of the case file. He can say those suspects were identified after the original investigation files were reviewed by a task force he created in 2004. Those leads, according to Wilson, are now worth another look. It is not known if district attorney john Bradley will take that advice, because he did not return calls for comment on Monday. According to Wilson, “I don't want the parents to focus on this one suspect, I want them to press on and make sure other people are investigated also." For now it appears the only suspect the D.A. is interested in, remains one man. Michael Moore. http://www.kvue.com/news/top/stories/111306cckkKVUEcooke.35366d38.html

Nov 14, 2006 4:57 pm US/Central Murder Charges Against Moore Temporarily Dropped Formality will allow investigators to pursue a grand jury indictment against man accused of killing Rachel Cooke. Julie Simon Reporting (CBS 42) GEORGETOWN The man who agreed to plead guilty to the murder of missing Georgetown teen Rachel Cooke is now no longer charged with killing her. The dropped charge is just a formality. Williamson County District Attorney John Bradley says he'll charge Michael more again, in due time. Last week, a plea agreement fell apart after Michael Moore changed his mind, and pleaded not guilty to killing Cooke. The charges had to be dropped because they were contingent on Michael Moore pleading guilty. When he backed out of the plea deal, the whole playing field completely changed. Moore stunned everyone in the courtroom last week when he plead not guilty to murdering Rachel Cooke. Her family thought they'd finally have the answers to the question which has eluded them for almost five years. What happened to Rachel? The district attorney thought he'd have another case solved. Even Moore’s own defense lawyers were surprised. Tuesday Steve Brittain said he wouldn't be shocked if Bradley recharges his client sometime down the road. “I think they are doing full speed ahead with respect to the investigation ultimately they'll make a decision about whether or not to indict the case again and whether not to seek the death penalty,” Brittain said. Rachel Cooke’s parents are disappointed, but believe the truth will come out. “It’s like this guy is playing with our minds and is victimizing us a second time,” Rachel’s father Robert Cooke said on Sunday. “He's a predator and he likes to prey on people physically and mentally.” “The man is capable of murder and it would not surprise me in the least,” Rachel’s mother Janet Cooke said Sunday. “He kills for the killing. If Rachel was there and he was there it could happen.” The Cookes are prepared to wait as long as it takes. They accept Rachel is not coming home, but they remain committed to finding out what happened to her. Bradley has said his investigators will put together a case to charge Moore with murder. They can take their time because Michael Moore will not be going anywhere for at least 30 years. He's serving three concurrent life sentences for other crimes. Michael Moore was convicted earlier this year for murdering Round Rock mother Christina Moore. The two are not related. In exchange for admitting in open court that he was guilty, Moore avoided the death penalty. http://keyetv.com/local/local_story_318134632.html

Prosecutors say they will convict Moore for Cooke disappearance 06:42 PM CST on Tuesday, November 14, 2006 By RUDY KOSKI KVUE News They charged him with murder and then officially dropped the charges four days later, but prosecutors vowed Tuesday they will convict Michael Moore in the death of a Georgetown teenager. Rachel Cooke disappeared in January 2002 while jogging near her parents' home. Moore's attorney's and the district attorney spoke out Tuesday regarding the deal they offered him last week. Moore's defense attorneys, Allan Williams and Steve Brittain, both say they were surprised when he backed out of the deal to plead guilty. "Everyone expected, including his lawyers, he was going to accept the plea negotiation and plead guilty," said Brittain. The agreement to admit responsibility for the disappearance of Cooke began with what investigators say was Moore's jailhouse confession. While attorney Williams has said he is not aware of any hard physical evidence linking Moore to Cooke's death, co-counsel, Brittain, says there was enough to justify making the deal. "We were provided with discovery by Mr. Bradley, obviously we can not discuss the details, we were satisfied ethically, legally at that point in time what we were doing was in the best interest of our client," Brittain said. While Brittain could not provide specifics, he expects District Attorney John Bradley will build a solid case against Moore. "Well I don't want to by my answer suggest I'm confirming anything," he said. What evidence Bradley has, continues to be kept secret. "He made some statements that included details we were able to corroborate, and show to be true, that confirmed for us that he was telling the truth that he is responsible for Rachel Cooke. So now will we start putting together a case that a grand jury can hear for conviction," Bradley said. "It is the sum of all parts, and I think what Mr. Bradley and law enforcement will continue to do is continue to pursue all leads and all information that they have and make the determination when the time comes," Brittain said. http://www.kvue.com/news/local/stories/111406kvueMooreprosecution-cb.3985b858.html