A Collier County jury has convicted Amanda Cook of Second-Degree Murder following a grisly four-day trial that centered on the 2019 bludgeoning death of her roommate.
State prosecutors successfully argued that Cook used a 9-pound cast-iron microphone stand to beat the victim to death inside their North Naples home. The violence inflicted was so extreme that the Medical Examiner testified the victim’s injuries were consistent with the trauma usually seen in high-impact car accidents.
The investigation, led by the Collier County Sheriff’s Office, revealed that Cook fled the scene immediately after the attack, driving to her mother’s nearby home. The two women later returned to the crime scene, where Cook’s mother placed the call to 911.
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During the trial, Assistant State Attorneys Sabsina Karimi and Mara Marzano presented key forensic evidence linking Cook to the weapon.
The victim’s DNA was recovered from the heavy base of the microphone stand, while Cook’s fingerprint was found just above it. Investigators also located the defendant’s DNA on the top of the stand.
Cook is scheduled to return to court for sentencing on January 22, 2026.
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