Nathaniel Cook

Serial Killer

Nathaniel Cook: Toledo Serial Killer

Overview

Nathaniel Cook, born October 25, 1958, became one of the men responsible for a series of exceptionally violent murders and sexual assaults that terrorized Toledo and Lucas County, Ohio, during the early 1980s. Cook committed his known crimes with his older brother, Anthony Cook, who was the more prolific of the two. Although Anthony ultimately admitted responsibility for nine murders, Nathaniel specifically confessed to participating in three killings: those of Thomas Gordon, Connie Sue Thompson, and 12-year-old Dawn Rene Backes. The distinction is important because many accounts refer to the brothers collectively as the "Cook brothers" and associate Nathaniel with the entire Toledo killing spree. Investigators determined that Anthony committed several of the murders without Nathaniel. Nathaniel's own admissions, however, established that he personally participated in three murders as well as other kidnappings, sexual assaults, and attempted killings. His involvement was serious enough that authorities and later news accounts routinely identified him as a serial killer in his own right.

The Beginning of Nathaniel Cook's Known Violence

Nathaniel's known participation in the murder series began on May 14, 1980. Twenty-four-year-old Thomas Gordon and his 18-year-old girlfriend, Sandra Podgorski, were confronted in North Toledo by Anthony and Nathaniel Cook. The brothers were armed and took control of the couple and their automobile before forcing them to travel to a secluded area in western Lucas County. Once there, Gordon attempted to get away. Nathaniel later admitted that he shot Gordon as the young man ran for his life. Gordon was mortally wounded. The brothers then sexually assaulted Gordon's girlfriend and stabbed her before leaving the area. Despite her injuries, she survived. Gordon's body was subsequently found in the trunk of his automobile in a field off McLean Street. The Gordon attack became enormously important to investigators years later. Evidence from the case ultimately helped connect the Cook brothers to the previously unsolved series and provided prosecutors with the leverage that would eventually force Nathaniel and Anthony to reveal what had happened to several other victims. ...

Confirmed Victims: (5)

Thomas Gordon Age: (24), Date of Death: 1980-05

Anthony and Nathaniel Cook - Wikipedia