Rhode Island Man Receives Life Sentences for Girlfriend's Murder

A man from Rhode Island is facing life in prison for the tragic murder of his girlfriend and the gruesome act of hiding her body in his refrigerator, authorities have confirmed.

Nathan Cooper, aged 54, received a sentence of two consecutive life imprisonments for the 2022 killing of Sherbert Maddox, as declared by the Rhode Island Attorney General’s Office in a press release issued on Tuesday. In addition to the life sentences, Superior Court Justice Robert D. Krause ordered Cooper to serve two concurrent 10-year prison terms in a state correctional facility.

Following a jury's verdict on May 15, Cooper was found guilty of one count of second-degree murder, one count of discharging a firearm during a crime of violence resulting in death, and two counts of possession of a firearm as a prohibited person.

Prosecutors revealed that Cooper fatally shot Maddox in his Providence apartment on March 16, 2022, with the cause of death determined as a single gunshot wound to the chest by a medical examiner. Subsequently, Cooper wrapped Maddox's body in layers of plastic wrap and bed sheets, concealing it within the refrigerator.

The discovery of this horrifying incident came six days later on March 22, 2022, when Maddox's family approached a police officer, alleging that their loved one had been murdered, and her body was stored in Cooper's apartment. During a search of the premises, officers uncovered a .38 caliber revolver and a shotgun. They also noticed that the refrigerator had been relocated from the kitchen to Cooper's bedroom and secured with a cord.

Crucially, Cooper failed to alert 911 following the murder, according to The Providence Journal. His attorney, Kara Hoopis Manosh, cited his actions as being influenced by substance abuse. At his sentencing hearing, Cooper expressed remorse, acknowledging that he made mistakes that could have saved Maddox's life. He stated, "I miss her just like everybody else. I’m sorry to you all."

Members of Maddox's family, including her sister Deshana Maddox, confronted Cooper in court, with Deshana Maddox admonishing him, saying, "Just remember, what goes around comes around," as reported by The Providence Journal.

Meanwhile in Orange County, California, Dr. William Thompson IV, a specialist in infectious diseases catering to the LGBTQ+ community, faces charges of sexually assaulting nine male patients between 2016 and 2020, according to authorities. See detailed story here

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