Preliminary Hearing Held For Man Accused Of Killing Moore Teenager

A high-profile court case kicked off Monday in Oklahoma involving the murder of a Moore High School Student, Madeline Bills.

The 18-year-old was found dead in the pool house of her parents’ home back in April. The man accused is her former classmate, Chace Cook. 

Cook is accused of raping her, and then strangling her and has been charged with first-degree murder. "Today was a preliminary hearing," said Alexis White, with the District 21 District Attorney’s Office. 

The hearing was the first chance for prosecutors to present evidence against Cook, who claims he was out of the state at the time. 

But, when Cook was arrested in May, Lieutenant Yost with the Moore Police Department said investigators found surveillance and cell phone footage connecting Cook to Bill's death. "We obtained surveillance video from a neighbor’s residence that showed a subject climbing over the fence the morning of Madeline’s death. Also, a suspect vehicle in the area at that exact time as well," he said in an interview with News 9 after the arrest. 

Detectives who worked the investigation also appeared in court Tuesday to testify about cell phone videos found on Cook's cell phone showing the alleged assault. 

Bills' mother Stephanie also took the stand to testify about the afternoon she found her daughter’s body in the pool house. "It pulls as your heart any time you see an 18-year-old with so much life and so much more to come be taken from this earth," Yost said. 

The Bills Family said in part in a statement to News 9, '..Madeline was a shining light in our lives and touched many others with her kindness and positivity...' 

They also added that they are trusting the DA’s office to bring justice in their daughter’s case. 

Monday, a judge decided there was enough evidence to try Cook but White says trial isn't a guarantee. "Correct, the defendant has the right to plea at any point during this time, but we are just on the track to go to trial now that probable cause has been found," she explained. 

Cook has a formal arraignment set for January 11th.