IE murderer stabbed to death in California prison

Scott Troy Cook had a violent past. He executed one of his victims while reciting a line from the movie Pulp Fiction.

May 8, 2024, 4:36 pm PDT | Updated May 8, 2024, 4:38 pm PDT

INLAND EMPIRE, Calif. – An Inland Empire killer serving a life sentence without parole was fatally attacked in prison last week, and authorities now believe his death was murder.

Scott Troy Cook, 49, was stabbed to death about 9:31 a.m. May 3 by two inmates at High Desert State Prison in the Northern California town of Susanville. According to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, inmates Zachary Harris, 36, and 30-year-old John Patch – both of San Diego County – are suspected of killing with homemade weapons.

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A motive for the killing was not revealed.

Cook was sent to High Desert State Prison in 2000. He was convicted of the brutal murder of Patrick Lynn Dailey on August 25, 1996 in San Bernardino County. According to court documents, the victim and Cook were staying at a home with William Louis Randolph and Anthony Cornelius Fabre, among others, at the time.

At some point, Dailey agreed to buy gas for Randolph's truck. According to the documents, the two, along with Cook and Fabre, loaded the rig, which drove to a gas station.

Dailey was never seen alive again.

Instead, Cook pulled out a .45-caliber semiautomatic pistol and forced Dailey into the back of the truck while Raymond drove the foursome to Lytle Creek, a remote area in the San Gabriel Mountains in San Bernardino County.

Cook led Raymond onto a dirt road. When they finally stopped, Cook led Dailey 25 feet away from the truck, forced him to kneel, searched his pockets and repeated part of a verse from the movie “Pulp Fiction.” He then shot Dailey.

Cook then brought the gun to Raymond and said, “Now it’s your turn.”

Raymond fired two shots toward the mortally wounded victim and handed the gun back to Cook.

According to court documents, at least 17 shots were fired in total.

Cook was sentenced to life in prison without parole for first-degree murder, auto theft, kidnapping, grand larceny and improving a firearm. His prison stay was violent from the start. He was also sentenced to 16 years and eight months in prison in Kern County for attacking a fellow inmate with a homemade weapon.