Rhode Island Man Gets Life Sentence for Killing Girlfriend, Hiding Body in Fridge

Prosecutors said Nathan Cooper shot and killed his girlfriend, Sherbert Maddox, in his Providence apartment in March 2022

A Rhode Island man will spend the rest of his life in prison for murdering his girlfriend and hiding her body in his refrigerator, authorities said.

On Tuesday, the Rhode Island Attorney General’s Office announced in a press release that Nathan Cooper, 54, was sentenced to two consecutive terms of life imprisonment for the 2022 killing of Sherbert Maddox.

In addition, Superior Court Justice Robert D. Krause ordered Cooper to serve two concurrent 10-year prison terms at a state correctional facility.

On May 15, a jury found Cooper guilty of one count of second-degree murder, one count of discharging a firearm during the commission of a crime of violence resulting in death and two counts of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.

Prosecutors said Cooper shot and killed Maddox in his Providence apartment on March 16, 2022. A medical examiner determined she died of a single gunshot wound to the chest.

According to prosecutors, Cooper then wrapped her body in several layers of plastic wrap and bed sheets before shoving it inside the refrigerator.

It wasn’t until six days later, on March 22, 2022, that police made the grim discovery after members of Maddox’s family flagged down a police officer, claiming their loved one had been murdered and her body was being stored in the apartment, per the release.

While inside, officers found a .38 caliber revolver and a shotgun, the release states. They also noticed that the refrigerator had been moved from the kitchen to Cooper's bedroom and tied shut with a cord.

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Prosecutors said Cooper did not call 911 after the murder, according to The Providence Journal. His attorney, Kara Hoopis Manosh, told the outlet his actions were the product of his substance abuse.

“I did some things wrong that could have probably saved her life,” Cooper said at the sentencing hearing, per the outlet. “I miss her just like everybody else. I’m sorry to you all.”

Many of Maddox's family members confronted Cooper in court, including her sister, Deshana Maddox, who shouted, "Just remember, what goes around comes around,” according to The Providence Journal.

If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go to thehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.

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