Heather Elizabeth Cook (born September 21, 1956) is a deposed bishop of the Episcopal Church in the United States.
In September 2015, she pleaded guilty to vehicular manslaughter, having killed Tom Palermo while driving under the influence of alcohol and fleeing the scene twice, and was sentenced a month later to seven years in prison.
[8] This was followed by the Presiding Bishop, Katharine Jefferts Schori, placing formal restrictions on Cook preventing her from presenting herself as an ordained minister of the Episcopal Church.
[12] Following Cook's resignation Sutton and the standing committee named Chilton R. Knudsen as assistant bishop for the Diocese of Maryland.
'"[16] On May 14, 2019, after serving just over half of her seven-year sentence, Cook was released "from the Maryland Correctional Institute for Women in Jessup.