He set a car on fire with two murder victims inside. Now, he’ll head to prison.
The mother of a man murdered and his remains set on fire in Socastee told one of his killers that she never imagined she would be talking about her own child’s death.
“My world was turned upside down in a way that no one could ever fathom,” Tracy Baker said of learning about the death of her son Matthew Autry.
“They destroyed my 9-year-old granddaughter’s life [who was Autry’s daughter] and our entire family has had a hard time recovering,” Baker said. “Everything that happened has been heartbreak and raw pain.”
Baker made her comments during a sentencing hearing for David Cook on Tuesday in Horry County court. He and three other men were charged with murder in connection to the death of Shawn Anderson and Autry in July 2018. Cook pleaded guilty to two counts of voluntary manslaughter and was sentenced to 16 years in prison.
William Tatum, who is a co-defendant in the case, was also in court and pleaded guilty under the Alford caveat to possession of heroin and accessory after the fact to murder. He was sentenced to seven years in prison, but it was suspended for five years probation.
The Alford caveat is when a defendant pleads guilty, but does not admit guilt in the case, only saying there was enough evidence for a conviction.
Cook’s plea was expected after he testified during the trial of alleged accomplice Zachary Stell. Cook detailed what happened during the crime, though Stell was found not guilty after the trial.
Cook said from the witness stand a month ago that he met Stell and Michael Faile through another friend. Faile, who was also charged in connection to the case, would later plead guilty and sentenced to 10 years in prison. Cook said Faile and Stell were interested in getting revenge for stolen drugs.
Stell and Cook were armed as they drove to a house to find Anderson, Cook said. Stell reached out to Anderson via Facebook messenger to find his location. Cook said Stell wiped down the bullets before loading them into a gun. The two went to a mobile home park off S.C. 544, where they met Anderson. He got in the PT cruiser, then Autry joined them, Cook said.
Cook said it was Stell who then shot the two men and then they drove to Faile’s house.
At the house, Cook presumed the two victims were dead, but as they cleaned the car he saw Anderson heave and move his body. It was then, Stell—a U.S. Marine—went up and slit his throat, Cook said.
Cook said the group then developed a plan to burn the victim’s bodies and Stell sent Tatum to get gasoline, Cook said.
Cook and Stell argued over who would drive the car with the bodies away from the area and burn the remains, Cook said. Cook said he drove the vehicle with the victims to get the situation “over with fast.” They took the car to a wooded area outside of Socastee where they lit it on fire.
Sentencing hearing
Defense attorney Erin Bailey said her client was involved with gangs and drugs since he grew up in Baltimore. Now, he is 45 years old with children of his own.
When he got hurt while working, he took prescription drugs, which led him to heroin again, Bailey said. On the day of the murder, Cook was after drugs and did not know the people involved in the case.
On the day of the murder, there was significant drug use, and that led to the “heinous crime,” Bailey said.
“David didn’t know these people, he was chasing drugs,” Bailey said.
When Cook sobered up after his arrest, he immediately talked to police and provided crucial information for their investigation, Bailey said. Since his arrest, Cook tried to make the situation right, his lawyer said.
Cook told the court he is a heroin addict and has been for most of his life. He said he wished he could take back the decisions he made the night of the murder.
“I’m ashamed to stand before you and tell you I was part of that situation,” Cook said.
Cook then turned to the victim’s family in the gallery to specifically address them and apologize for their killings.
“I’m so so sorry, I praise to God that he eases your pain,” Cook said. “That night I need you to know I never intended to harm your child ... I didn’t know they were going to be harmed, but I also didn’t prevent it and I’m so sorry for that.”
Baker told Cook that she appreciated he was taking responsibility for his actions. But, she also told him that she didn’t get to bury her son because of him and that she still carries his ashes around two years later.
Autry did anything to make people laugh, especially his daughter, Baker said.
“His daughter meant everything to him and he was everything to me,” she said.
Baker had to pause at several moments as she spoke, overcome with grief and tears. Several members of Anderson’s family members were present for the hearing, though they did not speak to the court.
Baker said she has questions that will never be answered, such as what were her son’s last words and did he fight for his life. She added that she blames herself for not being able to protect her son.
“I miss him,” she said, “and I’m never getting him back.”
