Sentence Alert: Cobb County District Attorney Sonya F. Allen announced that a Cobb County jury has found Charles Franklin Cook, 42, guilty of felony murder, aggravated assault family violence, and three counts of cruelty to children in the second degree.
Superior Court Judge Kimberly A. Childs sentenced Cook to life without the possibility of parole, plus an additional 30 years to be served in confinement.
In January 2021, Melinda Jolly, a 44-year-old widow, moved from California to Georgia with her then-8-year-old daughter and twin toddler boys in search of a fresh start following her husband's passing from cancer. Three years later, on Jan. 17, 2024, Jolly was found deceased in her home, suffering from blunt force trauma to her head and neck. Family members immediately identified her boyfriend, Charles Cook, as the primary suspect.
Cook was located at a relative's home in Okaloosa County, Florida, where he had fled shortly after police conducted a welfare check at Jolly’s residence on Jan. 15, 2024. Witnesses reported that Cook was vomiting, crying, and acting paranoid after leaving Jolly’s home. Upon arriving at his relative’s house, he refused to go outside.
Detectives uncovered a history of 911 calls to Jolly’s residence, including an incident on Oct. 4, 2023, when Cook, intoxicated, picked up Jolly’s then-4-year-old sons from preschool, brought them home, and passed out in bed. As a result, the children escaped the residence. A neighbor called 911 and responding Cobb County police officers found one of the twins locked inside a hot car. Officers acted quickly to rescue the child.
Cook was arrested for cruelty to children in the second degree, and a court order prohibited him from having contact with Jolly’s children. However, he later convinced Jolly to relinquish custody of her children to his parents, despite them having no familial relationship. Isolated and manipulated, Jolly became trapped in an abusive relationship.
“The abuse happened gradually, then it happened rapidly. Before Melinda knew it, this defendant had taken everything from her—her house, her money, her children, her soul, and later, her life. He caused irreparable and unnecessary pain to this family, especially her four children, who had already lost their father three years prior,” said Senior Assistant District Attorney Stephanie Green, who prosecuted the case alongside Assistant District Attorney Jared Horowitz.
If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence, you are not alone. LiveSafe Resources offers support 24/7. The crisis hotline is 770-427-3390.
