Anthony And Nathaniel Cook
Brother Serial Killers
CLASSIFICATION: Serial Homicide
LOCATION
Toledo, Ohio
TIME PERIOD
1973-1981
VICTIMS
9 confirmed
Anthony and Nathaniel Cook, American brothers and serial killers, committed at least nine rape-murders between 1973 and 1981, primarily in Toledo, Ohio, targeting young couples. Their criminal activities began in May 1980, culminating in the murder of 12-year-old Dawn Rene Backes in February 1981. Anthony was apprehended on October 14, 1981, and convicted for the final murder, while Nathaniel's involvement was uncovered after his 1998 misdemeanor arrest led to DNA profiling. Currently, Anthony Cook is serving multiple life sentences at Chillicothe Correctional Institution, while Nathaniel Cook was paroled in 2018 after serving 18 years of a 75-year sentence. Significant evidence includes DNA linking both brothers to the crimes, as well as witness testimonies from survivors of their attacks.
The Cook brothers are believed to have targeted young couples, committing their crimes in a methodical manner over several years, which has led to speculation about a possible pattern in their selection of victims. Some investigators theorize that their criminal activities were motivated by a desire for control and power, stemming from their troubled upbringing. There is also speculation that Nathaniel's eventual arrest for a misdemeanor in 1998 was a pivotal moment that inadvertently led to the uncovering of their previous crimes, raising questions about how many more victims might have gone undiscovered if not for this incident.
The Lethal Legacy of Anthony and Nathaniel Cook
In the midwestern heartland of the United States, a chilling saga unfolded between 1973 and 1981, leaving a trail of terror across Toledo, Ohio, and its neighboring areas. At the center of this dark tale were two brothers: Anthony Cook, born on March 9, 1949, and Nathaniel Cook, born on October 25, 1958, both originally from Mobile, Alabama. Their names would become synonymous with dread as they orchestrated a series of brutal crimes that claimed the lives of at least nine individuals, predominantly young couples, and shattered the peace of their community.
The Murderous Rampage
The brothers’ gruesome crime spree began in earnest on an unassuming day in May 1980. Thomas Gordon, 24, and his 18-year-old girlfriend found themselves at the mercy of the Cook brothers, who wielded guns to seize control of their vehicle in north Toledo. The Cooks drove them to a secluded woodland in western Lucas County, where they executed Gordon and subjected his girlfriend to a horrific ordeal of rape and stabbing. She miraculously survived, but Gordon was not as fortunate.
The terror continued into the new year. On January 3, 1981, Connie Sue Thompson, a 19-year-old hitchhiker from Michigan, unwittingly accepted a ride from the brothers. They drove her to the same ominous woods, where they raped and murdered her before callously disposing of her body by tossing it from a bridge into a culvert. Her remains were discovered two weeks later, on January 17.
In February, the brothers’ malevolence took an even darker turn when Anthony lured 12-year-old Dawn Rene Backes into his car. With Nathaniel joining in, they took her to the abandoned State Theater on Collingwood Boulevard. There, the young girl endured hours of unspeakable torture and rape before her life was brutally ended by the crushing blows of a brick block to her skull.
Anthony’s violence continued unchecked. On March 27, 1981, he alone accosted Scott Moulton and Denise Siotkowski, both 21, near a city center supermarket. After raping Siotkowski, he drove them to Oregon, Ohio, where he shot them both. This was one of the few instances where Nathaniel was not involved.
The summer brought no respite from Anthony’s relentless brutality. In the early hours of August 2, 1981, he attacked Daryl Cole and Stacy Lynn Balonek, both 21, after they returned from a night out. Using a baseball bat found in Balonek's car, Anthony inflicted fatal brain injuries on Cole before killing Balonek in the same savage manner. Their bodies were later discovered hidden in the car's trunk.
September saw another heinous act as Anthony, once more acting alone, targeted Todd Sabo and Leslie Sawicki in a parked van near the Ottawa Hills police station. Though Sawicki managed to escape and alert the authorities, her father, Peter Sawicki, tragically arrived at the scene before the police. In a cruel twist of fate, he was shot dead by Anthony.
The Path to Justice
Despite the mounting evidence of his other crimes, it was the murder of Peter Sawicki that finally led to Anthony Cook's arrest on October 14, 1981. His fingerprints at the crime scene and tips from street informants sealed his fate. In 1982, he was convicted of Sawicki’s murder and sentenced to life imprisonment.
Nathaniel, meanwhile, attempted to leave his life of crime behind but was eventually caught up in his past. During a misdemeanor arrest in the mid-1990s, a blood sample was taken, which would prove pivotal. In 1998, DNA testing linked the brothers to the series of unsolved murders, leading to Nathaniel's arrest on February 13, 1998, for the murder of Thomas Gordon and the attempted murder of Gordon's girlfriend.
Faced with irrefutable evidence, the brothers struck a plea bargain in 2000. They confessed to their heinous acts in exchange for avoiding charges on all murders. Nathaniel admitted to the murder of Gordon and complicity in the murders of Dawn Backes and Connie Thompson. Anthony confessed to eight murders, including the previously unconnected killing of 22-year-old Vickie Lynn Small on December 20, 1973.
Anthony was dealt a second life term in April 2000, while Nathaniel received a 75-year sentence with the possibility of parole after 20 years. Retired Detective Tom Ross speculated on the racial motivations behind their crimes, noting that all victims were white, while the Cooks were African American.
The Aftermath and Ongoing Consequences
After 34 years behind bars, Anthony Cook sought parole in 2015 but was denied, with the next consideration postponed until 2025. Nathaniel, having served 20 years, applied for parole in 2018. Despite opposition from victims' families, the court upheld the plea deal terms, granting his release on August 10, 2018.
Nathaniel's freedom came with strict conditions. He must participate in sex offender rehabilitation programs, wear a GPS tracker, and avoid areas crowded with children. In 2019, concerns arose when he was found living near a school in Toledo, but an investigation cleared him of any violations.
The Cook brothers' story remains a chilling reminder of the evil that can lurk beneath the surface and the enduring impact of their crimes on a community striving to heal.
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First Attack
Anthony and Nathaniel Cook attack Thomas Gordon and his girlfriend, marking the start of their crime spree.
Connie Thompson Murdered
The brothers pick up hitchhiker Connie Sue Thompson, rape and kill her, disposing of her body in a culvert.
Dawn Backes Murdered
Anthony lures 12-year-old Dawn Rene Backes into his car, where both brothers rape and kill her.
Scott Moulton and Denise Siotkowski
Anthony attacks and kills Scott Moulton and Denise Siotkowski after raping Denise.
Daryl Cole and Stacy Balonek Murdered
Anthony Cook kills Daryl Cole and Stacy Lynn Balonek after a night out, using a baseball bat.
Anthony Cook Arrested
Anthony Cook is arrested after a failed attempted rape and murder of Peter Sawicki.
Nathaniel Cook Arrested
Nathaniel Cook is arrested after DNA evidence links him to the murder of Thomas Gordon.
Plea Bargain Accepted
Both brothers plead guilty to multiple murders, receiving life sentences and lengthy prison terms.
Nathaniel Cook Released
Nathaniel Cook is released from prison after serving 18 years of his sentence.
Anthony and Nathaniel Cook, American brothers and serial killers, committed at least nine rape-murders between 1973 and 1981, primarily in Toledo, Ohio, targeting young couples. Their criminal activities began in May 1980, culminating in the murder of 12-year-old Dawn Rene Backes in February 1981. Anthony was apprehended on October 14, 1981, and convicted for the final murder, while Nathaniel's involvement was uncovered after his 1998 misdemeanor arrest led to DNA profiling. Currently, Anthony Cook is serving multiple life sentences at Chillicothe Correctional Institution, while Nathaniel Cook was paroled in 2018 after serving 18 years of a 75-year sentence. Significant evidence includes DNA linking both brothers to the crimes, as well as witness testimonies from survivors of their attacks.
The Cook brothers are believed to have targeted young couples, committing their crimes in a methodical manner over several years, which has led to speculation about a possible pattern in their selection of victims. Some investigators theorize that their criminal activities were motivated by a desire for control and power, stemming from their troubled upbringing. There is also speculation that Nathaniel's eventual arrest for a misdemeanor in 1998 was a pivotal moment that inadvertently led to the uncovering of their previous crimes, raising questions about how many more victims might have gone undiscovered if not for this incident.
The Lethal Legacy of Anthony and Nathaniel Cook
In the midwestern heartland of the United States, a chilling saga unfolded between 1973 and 1981, leaving a trail of terror across Toledo, Ohio, and its neighboring areas. At the center of this dark tale were two brothers: Anthony Cook, born on March 9, 1949, and Nathaniel Cook, born on October 25, 1958, both originally from Mobile, Alabama. Their names would become synonymous with dread as they orchestrated a series of brutal crimes that claimed the lives of at least nine individuals, predominantly young couples, and shattered the peace of their community.
The Murderous Rampage
The brothers’ gruesome crime spree began in earnest on an unassuming day in May 1980. Thomas Gordon, 24, and his 18-year-old girlfriend found themselves at the mercy of the Cook brothers, who wielded guns to seize control of their vehicle in north Toledo. The Cooks drove them to a secluded woodland in western Lucas County, where they executed Gordon and subjected his girlfriend to a horrific ordeal of rape and stabbing. She miraculously survived, but Gordon was not as fortunate.
The terror continued into the new year. On January 3, 1981, Connie Sue Thompson, a 19-year-old hitchhiker from Michigan, unwittingly accepted a ride from the brothers. They drove her to the same ominous woods, where they raped and murdered her before callously disposing of her body by tossing it from a bridge into a culvert. Her remains were discovered two weeks later, on January 17.
In February, the brothers’ malevolence took an even darker turn when Anthony lured 12-year-old Dawn Rene Backes into his car. With Nathaniel joining in, they took her to the abandoned State Theater on Collingwood Boulevard. There, the young girl endured hours of unspeakable torture and rape before her life was brutally ended by the crushing blows of a brick block to her skull.
Anthony’s violence continued unchecked. On March 27, 1981, he alone accosted Scott Moulton and Denise Siotkowski, both 21, near a city center supermarket. After raping Siotkowski, he drove them to Oregon, Ohio, where he shot them both. This was one of the few instances where Nathaniel was not involved.
The summer brought no respite from Anthony’s relentless brutality. In the early hours of August 2, 1981, he attacked Daryl Cole and Stacy Lynn Balonek, both 21, after they returned from a night out. Using a baseball bat found in Balonek's car, Anthony inflicted fatal brain injuries on Cole before killing Balonek in the same savage manner. Their bodies were later discovered hidden in the car's trunk.
September saw another heinous act as Anthony, once more acting alone, targeted Todd Sabo and Leslie Sawicki in a parked van near the Ottawa Hills police station. Though Sawicki managed to escape and alert the authorities, her father, Peter Sawicki, tragically arrived at the scene before the police. In a cruel twist of fate, he was shot dead by Anthony.
The Path to Justice
Despite the mounting evidence of his other crimes, it was the murder of Peter Sawicki that finally led to Anthony Cook's arrest on October 14, 1981. His fingerprints at the crime scene and tips from street informants sealed his fate. In 1982, he was convicted of Sawicki’s murder and sentenced to life imprisonment.
Nathaniel, meanwhile, attempted to leave his life of crime behind but was eventually caught up in his past. During a misdemeanor arrest in the mid-1990s, a blood sample was taken, which would prove pivotal. In 1998, DNA testing linked the brothers to the series of unsolved murders, leading to Nathaniel's arrest on February 13, 1998, for the murder of Thomas Gordon and the attempted murder of Gordon's girlfriend.
Faced with irrefutable evidence, the brothers struck a plea bargain in 2000. They confessed to their heinous acts in exchange for avoiding charges on all murders. Nathaniel admitted to the murder of Gordon and complicity in the murders of Dawn Backes and Connie Thompson. Anthony confessed to eight murders, including the previously unconnected killing of 22-year-old Vickie Lynn Small on December 20, 1973.
Anthony was dealt a second life term in April 2000, while Nathaniel received a 75-year sentence with the possibility of parole after 20 years. Retired Detective Tom Ross speculated on the racial motivations behind their crimes, noting that all victims were white, while the Cooks were African American.
The Aftermath and Ongoing Consequences
After 34 years behind bars, Anthony Cook sought parole in 2015 but was denied, with the next consideration postponed until 2025. Nathaniel, having served 20 years, applied for parole in 2018. Despite opposition from victims' families, the court upheld the plea deal terms, granting his release on August 10, 2018.
Nathaniel's freedom came with strict conditions. He must participate in sex offender rehabilitation programs, wear a GPS tracker, and avoid areas crowded with children. In 2019, concerns arose when he was found living near a school in Toledo, but an investigation cleared him of any violations.
The Cook brothers' story remains a chilling reminder of the evil that can lurk beneath the surface and the enduring impact of their crimes on a community striving to heal.
Sources
No Recent News
No recent news articles found for this case. Check back later for updates.
No Evidence Submitted
No evidence found for this case. Be the first to submit evidence in the comments below.
Join the discussion
Loading comments...
First Attack
Anthony and Nathaniel Cook attack Thomas Gordon and his girlfriend, marking the start of their crime spree.
Connie Thompson Murdered
The brothers pick up hitchhiker Connie Sue Thompson, rape and kill her, disposing of her body in a culvert.
Dawn Backes Murdered
Anthony lures 12-year-old Dawn Rene Backes into his car, where both brothers rape and kill her.
Scott Moulton and Denise Siotkowski
Anthony attacks and kills Scott Moulton and Denise Siotkowski after raping Denise.
Daryl Cole and Stacy Balonek Murdered
Anthony Cook kills Daryl Cole and Stacy Lynn Balonek after a night out, using a baseball bat.
Anthony Cook Arrested
Anthony Cook is arrested after a failed attempted rape and murder of Peter Sawicki.
Nathaniel Cook Arrested
Nathaniel Cook is arrested after DNA evidence links him to the murder of Thomas Gordon.
Plea Bargain Accepted
Both brothers plead guilty to multiple murders, receiving life sentences and lengthy prison terms.
Nathaniel Cook Released
Nathaniel Cook is released from prison after serving 18 years of his sentence.