Denisha Pepper

James Cook, of Pine Lawn, was charged Saturday with second-degree murder, armed criminal action and tampering with evidence in a felony prosecution in the death of his 31-year-old girlfriend Denisha Pepper. Florissant police said that officers found Pepper dead inside an apartment in the Cross Keys Apartments complex about 10:17 a.m. March 24. Cook left the scene of the shooting in the 3300 block of Cross Keys Drive without calling 911, a Florissant police detective wrote in charging documents. Cook eventually told police the gun used in the shooting belonged to him, according to charging documents. He also told investigators he tossed his gun and got rid of clothing he was wearing the night of the shooting. His bail was set Saturday at $500,000, cash only.