×

Trial: A marriage pact for murder

THE JURY IN the Kelly Cochran trial Thursday viewed a videotaped interview she had with Indiana Detective Jeremy Ogden on April 30, 2016, in which she said she and her husband, Jason Cochran, had a pact that if either one had an affair, the cheating spouse would either kill their lover or be killed by their spouse. (Nikki Younk/Daily News photo)

CRYSTAL FALLS — Iron County Prosecutor Melissa Powell proposed a possible motive Thursday for the 2014 killing of Christopher Regan at suspect Kelly Cochran’s trial, as she played police interview footage of Cochran discussing a murder pact she shared with her husband.

Powell rested her case just before 3:30 p.m. Thursday. Defense attorney Michael Scholke was scheduled to begin calling his six witnesses, which he said may include Cochran herself, this morning.

Cochran, 34, formerly of Caspian, reportedly helped her now-deceased husband, Jason Cochran, kill 53-year-old Regan, an Iron River co-worker with whom she had an affair, and then dismember and hide the body in October 2014.

The defense maintains Jason Cochran acted alone in the murder and coerced his wife to participate in concealing the death.

Cochran told Indiana Detective Jeremy Ogden in a recorded April 30, 2016 interview that normal people share marriage vows, but she and Jason Cochran were different. They had agreed if either one of them had an extramarital affair, the cheating spouse either would have to kill their lover or be killed by the other spouse, Cochran explained.

Jason Cochran had wanted his control and his wife back, she added, saying she had “stripped him of too much” with her controlling ways.

The pair discussed plans Oct. 13, 2014, with Jason Cochran wanting to kill Regan at his own apartment, Ogden testified. However, Kelly Cochran rejected that plan as “sloppy,” and noted how her husband didn’t think things through and needed her help, Ogden said.

Cochran instead invited Regan to her home Oct. 14, 2014.

Jason Cochran had wanted her to kick Regan down the basement stairs where he was waiting, Ogden said, but she said she couldn’t do it. She decided to have sex with Regan at the top of the basement stairs in an effort to anger her husband into committing the murder by himself, Ogden said.

Jason Cochran emerged from the basement and fatally shot Regan in the back of the head before dragging the body to the basement and cutting it up with a reciprocating saw, according to Cochran’s account.

Ogden and his partner also recovered what were believed to be suicide letters to Kelly Cochran’s family members from her vehicle April 30, 2016.

In the letters she admitted using her college knowledge of forensics and science to help Jason Cochran cover up Regan’s death. She also wrote she was “tired of lying about it all” and knew she “crushed” her husband with her affairs and let Regan “walk right into his own funeral.”

Ogden also noted to the court Cochran was the most difficult person he’s ever interviewed in his entire law enforcement career.

In cross-examination, Scholke pointed out Ogden knew nothing about what Cochran was doing before each of their interviews, and she may have been under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time.

Cochran faces charges of homicide-open murder, a life felony; conspiracy to commit dead bodies-disinterment and mutilation, a 10-year felony; concealing the death of an individual, a five-year felony; accessory after the fact to a felony, a five-year felony; larceny in a building, a four-year felony; and lying to a peace officer-violent crime investigation, a four-year felony.

She also faces a murder charge in Indiana’s Lake County for Jason Cochran’s death, which she reportedly committed as revenge for Regan’s killing, court documents state.

Newsletter

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *
   

Starting at $4.62/week.

Subscribe Today