In the spring of 2022, the life of Sherbert M. Maddox, a 40-year-old Black/African American woman from Providence, Rhode Island, was tragically cut short. Known affectionately as "Strawberry," she was a beloved mother, daughter, and sister. Her death, which occurred on or around March 20, 2022, was the result of a fatal gunshot wound to the chest. The grim details of her death would later emerge, revealing a story of domestic violence that ended in a horrific act of concealment.
The
chain of events leading to the discovery of Sherbert's body began to unfold on March 22, 2022, when concerned family members, unable to reach her for several days, flagged down a Providence police officer. They reported their fear that she had been murdered by her boyfriend, Nathan Cooper, and that her body was hidden in his apartment on Parkis Avenue. Acting on this information, police entered the residence and made a gruesome discovery. Sherbert's body was found inside a refrigerator that had been moved from the kitchen to the bedroom and tied shut. Her body had been wrapped in several layers of plastic wrap and bedding.
The investigation quickly focused on Nathan Cooper, who was present in the apartment when the police arrived. Investigators determined that on March 16, 2022, Cooper had shot and killed Sherbert in his apartment. A. 38 caliber revolver and a shotgun were recovered from the residence. Cooper was arrested and subsequently charged with second-degree murder, discharging a firearm during a crime of violence resulting in death, and two counts of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.
In May 2023, following a six-day trial, a jury found Nathan Cooper guilty on all counts. During the sentencing hearing, details of his attempt to cover up the murder were presented. In September 2023, a Superior Court Justice sentenced Cooper to two consecutive life terms in prison, in addition to two concurrent 10-year sentences for the firearm charges.
