Man sentenced to life for prison killing
A Wise County man was sentenced to life in behind bars in the prison killing of a former Suffolk businessman who was serving time for several child sex offenses, Attorney General Jason Miyares announced last week.
Bret Cook pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in the death of Mark Grethen, who was convicted in 2001 on two counts each of forcible sodomy, aggravated sexual battery and indecent liberties with a child. Grethen was briefly named Republican of the Year in 2002 by the National Republican Congressional Committee for his donations to the campaign committee, though the honor was later rescinded.
Grethen, 63, was found unresponsive and fatally wounded in his cell at the Lawrenceville Correctional Center in Brunswick County on Aug. 3, 2021. Surveillance video and DNA evidence linked Cook to the killing, according to the attorney general’s office.
Cook was already serving a 21-year sentence for convictions of malicious wounding, grand larceny, armed robbery, malicious assault, assault by an inmate on an employee, four counts of misdemeanor assault, eluding, and conspiracy/robbery with the use of a gun at the time of the attack, according to Miyares’s office.
“Today’s life sentence for first-degree murder demonstrates my office’s commitment to combating violent crime throughout the Commonwealth and seeking tough sentences for repeat, violent offenders,” Miyares said in a news release.
“My office will continue to partner with law enforcement agencies and Commonwealth’s Attorneys’ Offices throughout the Commonwealth to improve public safety and benefit all Virginians.”