A retired Salt Lake County sheriff's deputy kept a terrible secret about his best friend for 17 years. But on Monday, the former officer took the witness stand and testified that his friend privately confessed to murdering a love rival.
Steve Cook, who retired in 1993 after 20 years with the sheriff's office, admitted he repeatedly lied to law enforcement officials about his friend, but the time has arrived "when the truth has to come out."
Cook said his friend, Bernard Fred Rigby, 63, admitted on two occasions that he killed Gary Feltch in 1990 because Rigby believed the other man was vying for the attentions of Rigby's girlfriend.
Cook also testified Rigby told him when the killing occurred that he used a sawed-off shotgun, confronted Feltch outside his home, called out so Feltch would turn toward him and shot him.
Prosecutor Vincent Meister later said the cold case had been reopened by the department, and court documents state Rigby was charged with first-degree felony murder in May.
Third District Judge William Barrett on Monday presided over what was a portion of a preliminary hearing to determine if Rigby will be bound over for trial.
Attorneys said it was essential to get the testimony for the record now because Cook, 61, is in poor health. A recovering alcoholic, Cook said he has glaucoma, takes medications for cardiac and blood pressure problems and is due for heart surgery very soon because he has congestive heart failure.
He described the prognosis for his health as "not very good.
"It saddens me that I have to sit up here today and testify against him because I love Bernard very much," Cook said.
Cook said he never contacted police originally and repeatedly lied during several police interviews over the years primarily to protect Rigby. Besides being his friend, Rigby endured throat cancer, suffered a stroke and now uses a wheelchair. There also are unresolved legal questions about Rigby's mental competency to stand trial.
"The way I felt about it, sir," Cook told the prosecutor, "was with the condition Bernard was in, he'd gone through enough."
Under questioning from defense attorney Scott Wilson, Cook admitted he later also came to fear for his own legal situation. Wilson suggested Cook was testifying because he was afraid he might be charged with obstruction of justice or — because he once bragged to another man that he was present at the shooting — with being an accessory to murder.
Cook, however, said he was simply bragging about having been there.
As for the possibility of being prosecuted for obstruction, Cook said he would accept whatever happens.
"I will cooperate with prosecuting attorneys because it's what's right," he said. "I feel this needs to be taken care of. It's up to them if they decide to prosecute me for withholding evidence."
He also said that on subsequent occasions, Rigby denied having shot Feltch.
Barrett set Aug. 31 for a scheduling conference in the case.
E-mail: lindat@desnews.com