Although a renowned pig hunter, who had hunting dogs staying at the Adelaide Street premises, Cook was not registered to possess firearms.
It is not known how or when he obtained the rifle.
The apparent murder-suicide followed numerous domestic violence incidents involving the couple, who had been together for about 20 years.
One allegation included Cook standing in the street and publicly threatening to shoot his wife dead.
The Newcastle Herald has learnt that Felicity had taken an apprehended domestic violence order out on her husband on October 27, 2009, possibly after the shooting threats were made.
The AVO was amended in April, 2010, after Cook breached it by assaulting his wife and it continued without any more breaches before expiring about two months ago.
Friends and neighbours have told how Felicity had ended the relationship following the death threats before taking her husband back in.
But the relationship appeared to have soured again and the pair had told family and friends they were sleeping in separate rooms and were preparing to divorce.
The Herald has been told that Cook had also made arrangements to take out a bank loan and pay his wife out of the marital home. Family members had noticed he was drinking more regularly and had bulked up quickly by pumping weights.
The pair’s daughters were not home at the time of yesterday’s shooting and were being cared for by relatives.
Cook’s extended family had travelled from Dubbo.
Richard Novac, who cares for his elderly mother across the road from the Cooks, said he spoke frequently with the couple and Mrs Cook appeared to be looking forward to the future.
‘‘I spoke to Felicity and she said ‘I have been with this guy for 20-odd years and all I got out of it was two daughters’,’’ Mr Novac said.
‘‘But she said ‘I feel fine, I feel happy and I feel good’.’’
Mrs Cook is believed to have been raised in Casino and met her husband in Newcastle.
Cook had moved from Dubbo to play rugby league with the Toronto Scorpions in 1993, won a Newcastle Rugby League premiership with Kurri Kurri in 1995 and played two seasons with Newcastle Knights reserve grade from 1996.
In 1998, he played the first of five seasons with Western Suburbs before a one-year stint with South Newcastle, and also represented Newcastle.
He came out of retirement to captain-coach Raymond Terrace in 2006.
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