Crime
Alexzandrea Thomas Speaks Out Following Conviction of Father in Incest and Abuse Case
Now that court proceedings have concluded, Alexzandrea Thomas has chosen to break her silence regarding the years of abuse she endured at the hands of her biological father, Kenneth Cook, who was recently arrested and charged in a high-profile case out of MacArthur, West Virginia.
Cook faces multiple felony charges including sexual abuse by a parent or custodian, third-degree sexual assault, child neglect, and three counts of incest, following a lengthy investigation into the abuse that resulted in the birth of three children.
In a personal statement shared after the trial, Thomas expressed both relief and frustration, addressing the ongoing inquiries and messages she has received since the case became public.
“I’m only speaking out now because I’m overwhelmed with messages, and I want people to understand the truth,” Thomas said. “I reported him repeatedly since I was 9 years old, but no one believed me. My grandmother worked closely with Child Protective Services, and she convinced everyone I was lying.”
She went on to describe a childhood marked by isolation, fear, and ongoing manipulation. “When my grandfather found out, he didn’t even look surprised. The last time I confided in a school guidance counselor, CPS got involved—but once again, my grandmother suppressed the investigation. My father told me if I ever spoke out again, he knew how to make me disappear.”
Thomas said she was denied access to a phone, vehicle, and outside relationships, and that her father intentionally kept her from contact with her mother’s side of the family. “When he realized I was growing close to a neighbor, he threatened to shoot him and made sure I left the room whenever that neighbor came over. He did everything in his power to silence me.”
One of the most distressing parts of her statement involved the birth of her youngest child, who was born with health complications. “My baby spent the first week of his life in the hospital but was denied further medical care afterward,” she said. “I was trying to care for a very sick baby on my own, with no support and no access to healthcare, because he feared the truth would come out.”
The criminal case against Cook was initiated after medical personnel at Charleston Area Medical Center raised concerns about severe malnourishment in the youngest child, who at one year old weighed only six pounds.
Genetic testing subsequently confirmed that the children were the result of a first-degree incestuous relationship between Cook and Thomas.
“I already know he’s a monster—I lived with him. I survived him,” she said. “You don’t know how many times I thought about ending my life, because it felt like it would never stop.”
Thomas ended her statement with a plea for privacy. “To those who are sorry, I appreciate your compassion. To those defending him, stay away from me. I will never forget or forgive what he did, but I’m trying—every day—to heal.”
Kenneth Cook remains in custody at the Southern Regional Jail on a $500,000 bond. The investigation is ongoing.
Crime
Angela Johnson and Her Son DeAngelo Johnson Killed After Shooting Inside Home in Chicago, Mother’s Boyfriend in Custody
CHICAGO — A 47-year-old mother and her 27-year-old son were fatally shot inside a residence in Chicago’s Austin neighborhood on the West Side late Thursday night, September 24, 2026, according to Chicago police.
The victims were identified as Angela Johnson, 47, and DeAngelo Johnson, 27. Police said a suspect, identified as Angela Johnson’s boyfriend, was taken into custody following the shooting.
The deadly shooting happened in the 800 block of North Parkside Avenue at approximately 10:43 p.m. Witnesses reported hearing gunshots coming from the basement of the residence and called 911.
When Chicago police officers arrived, they found the two victims suffering from gunshot wounds.
Angela Johnson was found in the basement with a gunshot wound to her chest. Police-radio traffic indicated she had been shot on the right side of her chest.
DeAngelo Johnson was found on the first floor with multiple gunshot wounds. Radio traffic indicated that he had suffered two gunshot wounds to his back.
Both victims were initially unresponsive and in critical condition. Emergency personnel performed CPR on DeAngelo Johnson before both victims were transported to Mount Sinai Hospital, where they were pronounced dead.
According to police-radio traffic, one victim was pronounced dead at approximately 11:18 p.m., while the male victim was pronounced dead around 11:21 p.m.
Investigators found extensive evidence inside the residence, including approximately 23 shell casings in a basement bedroom. Additional shell casings were reportedly recovered in other areas of the basement, including the stairway, main room and bedroom.
Officers initially recovered a firearm and shell casings from the basement bedroom. Police later located a second firearm inside the home, bringing the total number of recovered firearms to two.
Authorities have not publicly stated who owned the firearms or confirmed which weapon, if either, was used in the fatal shooting.
Police also reported that DeAngelo Johnson was wearing an empty holster when officers found him on the first floor. That discovery prompted an officer-safety alert as officers searched the residence for the missing firearm.
Chicago police said the shooting appeared to be domestic-related and identified the alleged offender as the mother’s boyfriend.
Radio traffic indicated that a person had been detained by approximately 11:26 p.m. The official police report later confirmed that the known offender was taken into custody.
Two witnesses were reportedly available to identify the alleged offender, and officers conducted a show-up identification procedure near the scene.
Police have not released additional information about potential charges against the suspect.
The investigation into the Chicago Austin neighborhood double shooting remains ongoing. Detectives are continuing to examine the circumstances that led to the shooting, the relationship between the people involved and the role of the two recovered firearms.
The deaths of Angela Johnson and DeAngelo Johnson are being investigated as a double homicide.