On December 11, 1964, at the age of 33, Cooke was shot and killed by Bertha Franklin, the manager of the Hacienda Motel in Los Angeles, California.
Dana 11. prosinca 1964. godine, u 33. godini života, Cookea je smrtno ustrijelila Bertha Franklin, upraviteljica motela Hacienda u Los Angelesu u Kaliforniji.