In the early summer of 2016, a night out for 68-year-old Robert Cook ended in tragedy. On June 5, the male victim was innocently driving away from a local pub in Moses Lake, Washington, when his life was abruptly cut short. He was a father of three and a grandfather, a retired mechanic who had found a new life in contracting part-time to make ends meet. His son described him as an outspoken man who loved fishing and hunting, passions he had passed down to his own son.
Having lost his wife the previous year, Robert was just beginning to embrace life again.
The events that led to his untimely death began with a physical altercation inside Neppel's Dockside Pub. The fight, involving Ismael Ortiz, Jose Rodriguez, and Loren Meade, spilled out into the night. After being ejected from the bar, the conflict escalated dramatically. Meade reportedly retrieved a gun from his car and fired shots at a vehicle. In what prosecutors believe was an act of retaliation, Ortiz is accused of firing multiple shots down Broadway Avenue. It was during this exchange of gunfire that a stray bullet found its way into the back of Robert Cook's truck as he was leaving the area with a female friend. The bullet struck him in the back of the head, incapacitating him instantly. He died within the hour.
Following the shooting, Ismael Ortiz and Jose Rodriguez fled the scene. They were later taken into custody after Rodriguez allegedly attempted to persuade a pair of fishermen to provide them with an alibi. Ortiz, who was 27 at the time of the incident, was charged with first-degree murder and first-degree unlawful possession of a firearm. A witness at the scene described the shooter as a Hispanic male wearing a white T-shirt with a distinct insignia and dark blue jeans, a description that matched what Ortiz was wearing upon his arrest. The prosecution asserted that they had overwhelming evidence proving Ortiz was the one who fired the shots that, while intended for Meade, tragically ended the life of an innocent bystander.
