55 replies to this topic

[Lori Davis]

http://www.myfoxaust...ing-for-closure

 

11 years later, family of missing woman still looking for closure

 

Posted: May 06, 2013 9:18 PM EDT Updated: May 06, 2013 10:14 PM EDT

 

A Central Texas family is still searching for answers in the disappearance of their daughter. This Friday would be the 31st birthday of Rachel Cooke. She hasn't been seen since she went for a jog in January of 2002.

 

A mother's heart is only as strong as the safety and well-being of her children. Janet Cooke's heart has been through a lot.

 

"We're still waiting sooner or later there's gonna be closure of some sort. I know it in my heart," Janet Cooke said.

 

Cooke's daughter Rachel went for a run on January 10, 2002. She is believed to have disappeared within 400 feet of her home in the North Lake area of Georgetown. She was 19. No evidence of a crime was ever found, but Cooke knew something bad happened.

 

"I guess it was five days after she was taken. Just in the middle of the night, a sleepless one as most have been. I just had this feeling that she's gone now. I can't explain it and I hope I'm wrong," Cooke said.

 

Ever since, the Cooke family has fought for answers. Cooke still talks with the lead investigator with the Williamson County Sheriff's Office twice a week.

 

"I still cry. I still laugh. I'm a lot older now, but the intensity in my heart hasn't changed. I'd search the whole world to bring her home," she said.

 

Cooke has battled kidney and skin cancer. Rachel's father has also had his share of health problems. With the lows, also come the highs. Cooke referred to the recent break in the 1991 murder case of Vicki Lynn Nisbett. A body was never found. But in March, a Williamson County grand jury indicted Nisbett's estranged husband Rex of murder.

 

"It's like a bright flaming candle saying keep it up, don't stop," she said.

 

Cooke has waited long enough.

 

"Somebody out there knows something. Please let it be time. Let it be over. It needs to close. We need closure. I can't imagine that somebody doesn't know the right information. And at this point, they need to go ahead and let the other shoe drop," Cooke said.

[Lori Davis]

http://www.myfoxaust...e#ixzz325EHDP2D

 

Rachel Cooke disappearance gets fresh look, 12 years later

 

Posted: Jan 10, 2014 4:36 PM EST Updated: Jan 10, 2014 7:36 PM EST

By Noelle Newton

 

Friday marks 12 years since Rachel Cooke disappeared jogging in her Georgetown-area neighborhood. On this anniversary, the Williamson County Sheriff's Office announced some changes with the investigation.

 

Janet Cooke's daughter Rachel would've been 31-years-old today. She may have been married and had children. That's how Janet pictures her life.

 

"I kind of feel cheated," Cooke said. "She was a ball of energy, there weren't enough hours in the day and there were not enough pieces of her heart to give out."

 

Janet hasn't seen her daughter since January 10, 2002. Rachel was 19 back then visiting her family while on break from college.

 

"Rachel had both headphones of her Walkman on, she was jogging and it happened," Cooke said.

 

Rachel had gone for a morning run in the Northlake subdivision northwest of Georgetown. She was last seen between 11 and 11:30 a.m. along Neches Trail 200 yards from her parents' home.

 

Investigators followed up on countless leads through the years. One involved a confession from a convicted murderer which proved to be false.

 

Williamson County deputies say this case has never been considered cold and has never been put on the back burner. Further proving that point, on Friday, the 12th anniversary of Rachel's disappearance, the sheriff's office announced two new investigators are now on the case. The hopes are that a fresh set of eyes might discover a detail someone else may have missed.

 

"We spent the past three months going through recordings, reading case files, reading witness statements, canvass reports everything else, we are moving forward from that point pursuing leads that are viable," said Detective James Knutson.

 

Detective James Knutson says it is their full-time assignment. He says they are developing new leads daily and still receive tips.

 

Janet is just waiting for the right tip. She knows it's out there.

 

"It needs to end. To that person who has that information. I just can't imagine that it's not bothering you as much as it's bothering us. Let put a close to it," Cooke said.

 

There is a $50 thousand dollar reward for any tips leading to an arrest in this case. If you have any information about Rachel's disappearance call the Williamson County Sheriff's Office at 512-943-1300 or Williamson County Crime Stoppers at 1-800-253-7867.

[Lori Davis]

http://kxan.com/2014...ack-cold-cases/

 

Inmates playing cards could crack cold cases

 

By David ScottUpdated: Thursday, May 22, 2014, 5:58 am

Published: Wednesday, May 21, 2014, 9:39 pm

 

DEL VALLE, Texas (KXAN) — About 3,000 inmates in the Travis County jail system are about to get new decks of playing cards. And the right card in the hands of the right inmate could help crack homicide or missing person cold cases.

 

The decks will include 52 cold cases on their face, cases submitted by detectives in Travis, Hays, Williamson and Bastrop counties.

 

Such cards are being distributed to inmates in 17 states and they’ve had some success.

 

“If we’re able to solve one case with this deck of cards then it’s a complete success,” said Travis County Sgt. Tom Szimanski, who heard about the idea through his wife. “I’ll be overwhelmed.”

 

Perhaps the highest profile case in the new decks is that of 19-year-old Rachel Cooke, who vanished in January 2002 while jogging near her parents’ Georgetown home.

 

Rachel’s mom, Janet Cooke, hopes the cards trigger just one memory, one conversation. “Inmates may talk with each other about things and maybe the cards will say, ‘hey let’s get something from this, let’s make something happen.’”

 

Janet Cooke knows this is a long shot, like hitting an inside straight, but she believes. “99.9 percent may say she departed, but there’s that .01 percent and as long as there is that, I want to know.”

 

In the past two years, the cold case cards have cracked 15 murder cases in South Carolina. In just three months the cards have prompted 60 tips and helped solve four homicides in Florida.

 

The sheriff’s office said 5,000 decks of cards will be available locally in the next four to six weeks, with the cold cases on them rotated occasionally. Each batch of 5,000 costs $6,000.

 

For the loved ones of the missing or dead it is a small ante for just one big jackpot.

[Kelly]

http://www.kvue.com/...-away/18546823/

 

Georgetown father of missing teen Rachel Cooke passes away

KVUE.com 10:34 p.m. CST November 5, 2014

GEORGETOWN -- Rachel Cooke's father died Wednesday after battling a long-term illness.

Rachel Cooke, 19, went missing on Jan. 10, 2002 near her Georgetown home. She went out for a jog near her parent's home but never returned.

Robert Cooke became very active in missing persons' causes. He held women's self-defense classes all over Central Texas, and Cooke helped search for many missing people.

"On the day Rachel disappeared, Robert [Cooke] made a promise to her that he would never stop looking for her, and he kept that promise," according to his obituary.

According to his obituary, Robert is survived by his daughter JoAnn, missing daughter Rachel, his parents Glenn and Louise Cooke, sisters Elaine Hettenhausen and Diane Cooke, his brother David Cooke, his ex-wife Janet and numerous extended family members.

We will have more information about his visitation and memorial service at a later time.

According to his obituary, in lieu of flowers, please consider honoring Robert with a donation to a missing persons organization, such as these very dear to his heart: The CUE Center for Missing Persons, PO Box 12714, Wilmington, NC, 28405, Project Jason, PO Box 59054, Renton, WA., or texasequusearch.org.


There is still a $50,000 reward for reliable information leading to the return or location of Rachel Cooke or to the identity of any person involved in her disappearance. If you have any information, please call Williamson County Crime Stoppers at 1-800-253-7867, or visit wilcocrimetips.org.

[Kelly]

http://obits.dignity...777&mid=6186311

In Memory of Robert William Cooke
January 5, 1955 - November 5, 2014
Obituary

Robert William Cooke, 59, of Georgetown, Texas, passed away on November 5, 2014, in Austin, Texas. The baby of the Cooke siblings, he was born January 5, 1955, in Austin, Texas, to David Glenn Cooke, Jr. and Louise Cooke. A graduate of Lanier High School and St. Edwards University, he married Janet Abbott on August 13, 1977. They became the proud parents of two daughters, Rachel Louise and JoAnn Marie. Robert was a software engineer for many years, over 25 of them at IBM.

After his 19-year-old daughter Rachel went missing on January 10, 2002, while jogging near her Georgetown home, Robert and Janet became very active in missing persons' causes. They held women's self-defense classes all over Central Texas, and Robert helped search for many missing people. On the day Rachel disappeared, Robert made a promise to her that he would never stop looking for her, and he kept that promise. He gave presentations at missing persons conferences all over the country, often giving insight into the impact of a missing loved one on the victim's family.

Robert is survived by daughter JoAnn (fiancé Clint Harris) and missing daughter Rachel, parents Glenn and Louise Cooke, sisters Elaine Hettenhausen and Diane Cooke (David Broll), brother David Cooke (Cay), ex-wife Janet, aunts, uncles, cousins, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be held on Friday, November 7, 2014, from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. at Cook-Walden Capital Parks, 14501 N. IH 35, Pflugerville, Texas, 78660. Services will be held on Saturday, November 8, 2014 at 1:00 p.m. at Faith Lutheran Church, 4010 Williams Dr., Georgetown, Texas, 78628. Robert asked that those who attend wear blue or red because, as he stated, those are "bright colors".

In lieu of flowers, please consider honoring Robert with a donation to a missing persons organization, such as these three very dear to his heart: The CUE Center for Missing Persons, PO Box 12714, Wilmington, NC, 28405, Project Jason, PO Box 59054, Renton, WA, or texasequusearch.org.

Please visit Robert's memorial at www.cookwaldencapitalparks.com.

[Deborah]

Rachel is still missing.

 

http://www.txdps.sta.../20025:09:01PM'