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  • Natalie Cochran found guilty of first-degree murder


    BECKLEY, W.Va. (WVVA) – The jury has reached a verdict in the Natalie Cochran Trial.

    The jury left the courtroom at 9:34 a.m. to decide whether or not they convict Natalie Cochran of first degree murder, and at around 11:30 a.m., the verdict was read aloud.

    After 9 days in court, the jury found Natalie Cochran guilty of first-degree murder.

    Natalie Cochran was charged with first-degree murder after the death of her husband, Michael Cochran in 2019. Prosecutors alleged that she poisoned him with insulin in fear of him finding out about a Ponzi scheme she’s currently serving 11 years in prison for.

    “She’s guilty. We knew that all along but until 12 good citizens of Raleigh County determine that you don’t know the outcome,” said Tom Truman, Raleigh County Prosecuting Attorney.

    Truman gave a lot of credit to investigators in this case. He says the mountain of circumstantial evidence gathered against Natalie Cochran ultimately proved to be the state’s smoking gun.

    On the other side, Natalie’s lawyers were shocked when the verdict came down.

    “The state was unable to say what, how and why but you know the jury spoke,” said Matthew Victor.

    “And also when, they actually could not say when,” added Stanley Selden.

    “We have the sentencing phase. We’ll expand upon that at the end of the mercy phase,” said Victor.

    The family of both Natalie and Michael Cochran became emotional for different reasons after the verdict was read. Donna and Ed Bolt, Michael’s mother and stepfather shared a brief statement after the verdict was announced.

    “We would just like to say thank you everybody for your prayers. It’s been a long time coming. February 11 of 2025 will be six years that Michael Brandon has been murdered,” said Donna. “This has been a very long, hard battle. We just thank everybody and God’s plan has been fulfilled today. Justice is done for Michael Brandon.”

    “We just want to say, we remain strong in our faith and that Natalie Cochran was held accountable and justice has been served for Michael,” said Ed.

    On Thursday, the court will meet to decide whether or not Natalie Cochran will be eligible for parole after a period of time or if she will spend the rest of her life in prison without the chance for parole.

    The defense answers questions after the verdict is read in the Natalie Cochran Trial.
    The defense answers questions after the verdict is read in the Natalie Cochran Trial.(wvva)
    The prosecution answers questions after the verdict is read in the Natalie Cochran Trial.
    The prosecution answers questions after the verdict is read in the Natalie Cochran Trial.(WVVA)

    Copyright 2025 WVVA. All rights reserved.



    In a shocking turn of events, Natalie Cochran has been found guilty of first-degree murder in a trial that has captivated the nation. The 32-year-old was accused of brutally killing her ex-boyfriend in a fit of rage, and after weeks of testimony and evidence presented in court, the jury has reached a verdict.

    Cochran, who maintained her innocence throughout the trial, showed no emotion as the verdict was read aloud in the courtroom. The victim’s family wept with relief, finally seeing justice served for their loved one.

    The prosecution painted Cochran as a jealous and vindictive ex-girlfriend who couldn’t handle rejection, while the defense argued that she was a victim of her own mental health issues and should be shown leniency.

    Now, as Cochran faces a life sentence without the possibility of parole, the question remains: what drove her to commit such a heinous act? Was it jealousy, anger, or something deeper within her psyche? Only Natalie Cochran knows the truth, and she will have the rest of her life to ponder the consequences of her actions.

    As the trial comes to a close, the community can finally begin to heal and find closure knowing that justice has been served. But the memory of this tragic event will linger for years to come, a reminder of the darkness that can lurk within even the most seemingly ordinary individuals.

    Tags:

    Natalie Cochran, murder trial, guilty verdict, first-degree murder, criminal conviction, legal news, court case updates, homicide conviction, criminal justice system, legal proceedings, guilty verdict announcement

    #Natalie #Cochran #guilty #firstdegree #murder

  • Cochran found guilty in husband’s murder; jury convicts after deliberating the case for 2 hours


    BECKLEY, W.Va. — A Raleigh County jury has convicted a former pharmacist of first degree murder in the 2019 death of her husband.

    Natalie Cochran was found guilty after the jury deliberated for a little less than two hours on Wednesday. Cochran burst into tears when the verdict was read.

    “The court accepts the jury verdict and finds this defendant guilty of murder in the first degree,” Special Judge H.L. Kirkpatrick said after reading the verdict.

    The jury chose murder over involuntary manslaughter, a misdemeanor.

    Cochran, who chose not to testify in the trial, is already serving 11 years in federal prison for the Ponzi Scheme that she was running out of the couple’s defense contracting business.

    The jury agreed with prosecutors that Cochran, a former pharmacist, killed her husband Michael, 38, in 2019 using insulin. Prosecutors said she killed him after he started asking questions about the operation.

    The jury will return Thursday for the mercy phase. Kirkpatrick had hoped to begin Wednesday afternoon but the defense said it needed time for witnesses to get to the courthouse.

    “We have to get in touch with our other witnesses, it will take considerable time to do that. We have to make sure they can get here and we respectfully request to continue these proceedings,” defense attorney Stan Seldon told the judge.

    Cochran’s son and daughter are expected to be among the witnesses.

    Kirkpatrick told the jury the mercy phase would be a mini-trial.

    “If she receives mercy she will be eligible for parole in 15 years. If she does not receive mercy she will spend the rest of her life in prison and that’s a decision that you must determine,” Kirkpatrick told the jury.

    Cochran was urged by people who saw her husband when he fell ill in February 2019 to get medical help. Several witnesses said she believed her husband would “sleep it off.” He died five days later.

    Prosecution expert witness Dr. Paul Uribe testified earlier in the trial that the death was caused by insulin injection.

    “Given the entirety of the circumstances, including the initial autopsy findings, the second autopsy findings, which there weren’t much, the history of profound hypoglycemia. which is very much unexplained, I came to the conclusion that the cause of the death was exogenous insulin administration,” Uribe said.

    He told the jury Michael Cochran’s death was by homicide.

    Forensic Pathologist Ljubisa Dragovic, a defense expert witness, said Cochran’s death was both “undetermined and undeterminable.”

    “I believe there are not effecting findings to substantiate Dr. Uribe’s determination,” Dragovic said.

    Raleigh County Prosecutor Tom Truman told the jury again Tuesday during closing arguments that the state’s case was circumstantial but Natalie Cochran was the one who had the opportunity and the means to kill her husband and she did.

    “We do know that Michael Cochran’s death was caused by insulin and reducing his blood sugar to a fatal level and changes in his brain killed that man,” Truman said.



    In a shocking turn of events, former North Carolina nurse, Diana Faye Cochran, was found guilty of first-degree murder in the death of her husband, Steven Cochran. The jury reached their verdict after deliberating for just 2 hours.

    The prosecution painted Cochran as a cold and calculating killer who meticulously planned her husband’s murder in order to collect a hefty life insurance payout. They presented evidence of text messages exchanged between Cochran and her lover, detailing their plans to carry out the murder.

    Throughout the trial, Cochran maintained her innocence, claiming that she had nothing to do with her husband’s death. However, the jury was not swayed by her defense and ultimately found her guilty of the crime.

    The verdict brings a sense of closure to Steven Cochran’s family, who have been seeking justice for his senseless murder. Diana Faye Cochran now faces a life sentence without the possibility of parole for her heinous crime.

    Tags:

    Cochran murder trial, guilty verdict, husband’s murder case, jury deliberation, criminal conviction, legal news, breaking news, true crime, court proceedings, justice served

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  • Cochran trial: Closing arguments heard Tuesday afternoon, jury deliberations to take place Wednesday morning


    BECKLEY, W.Va. — Jury deliberations begin Wednesday morning in the murder trial of former Raleigh County pharmacist Natalie Cochran.

    Natalie Cochran (WVRJA)

    The jury heard closing arguments from the prosecution and the defense throughout the course of the afternoon Tuesday before Judge H.L. Kirkpatrick adjourned the court until 9 a.m. Wednesday.

    Cochran is accused of giving a lethal dose of insulin to her husband, Michael Cochran, 38, in 2019 once he began raising questions about the Ponzi scheme she was operating through the couple’s defense contracting business.

    In her closing argument, Raleigh County assistant prosecuting attorney Ashley Acord said this was a pre-meditated murder.

    “This woman, Natalie Cochran, feloniously, willfully, maliciously, deliberately, and with pre-meditation killed her husband, Michael Cochran,” Acord said.

    The state rested its case last Wednesday after bringing in Forensic Pathologist Dr. Paul Uribe, who concluded, after conducting a second autopsy of Michael Cochran’s body, that he died from insulin.

    On Monday, the defense rested after their expert witnesses, Forensic Pathologists Ljubisa Dragovic and Dr. Prya Banerjee, said Cochran’s death was “undetermined and undeterminable.”

    Defense attorney Matthew Victor said on Tuesday that the prosecution does not have the appropriate amount of evidence to convict.

    “The state cannot answer or prove beyond reasonable doubt the ‘how, how did that happen? How did this murder happen?” Victor said.

    Victor, in his closing argument Tuesday, also brought up that Michael Cochran had been taking over two dozen supplements per day, as testified by the couple’s juvenile son. Victor also brought up claims that Michael Cochran was receiving supplements from out of the country, some of which were not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

    Natalie and Michael Cochran

    On Monday, Natalie Cochran turned her head in court as a photo of her husband’s body was shown after his remains were exhumed.

    Victor says that this is not a murder, but rather a tragedy.

    “Not for a moment should you think that the defense is taking his death lightly,” Victor said. “It’s a horrible tragedy, but a tragedy, not a murder.”

    Meanwhile, Acord believes the evidence is there for the jury to convict. In her final remarks, she brought up the fact that Cochran did not aid her husband or take him to the hospital right after he had gone unconscious in February 2019.

    Early in the trial, it was determined Cochran had a vial in her refrigerator months after her husband’s death, which was tested and determined to contain insulin.

    “Natalie Cochran had the means, knowledge and opportunity to commit this crime,” Acord said.

    The trial is being streamed on Court TV.



    The highly anticipated closing arguments in the Cochran trial were heard on Tuesday afternoon, bringing an end to weeks of intense courtroom drama. The prosecution and defense both made their final appeals to the jury, laying out their theories of the case and urging the jurors to come to a just verdict.

    The prosecution argued that the evidence presented throughout the trial clearly pointed to the defendant’s guilt, painting a picture of a cold-blooded killer who meticulously planned and executed the crime. They emphasized the testimony of key witnesses and the forensic evidence that linked the defendant to the scene of the crime.

    On the other hand, the defense made a passionate plea for the jury to consider the possibility of reasonable doubt. They pointed to inconsistencies in the prosecution’s case and raised questions about the reliability of certain witnesses. The defense argued that the defendant was being unfairly scapegoated and that there were other potential suspects who were not adequately investigated.

    Now, as the trial enters its final phase, the jury will begin deliberations on Wednesday morning to decide the fate of the defendant. The outcome of this high-profile case hangs in the balance, with the hopes and fears of both the prosecution and defense resting on the shoulders of the twelve jurors.

    Stay tuned for updates as we await the verdict in the Cochran trial.

    Tags:

    Cochran trial, closing arguments, jury deliberations, legal proceedings, court case, legal system, trial updates, verdict, criminal justice, legal news

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  • Verdict reached in Natalie Cochran murder trial.


    The jury has reached a verdict in the Natalie Cochran murder trial.

    They will deliver their verdict shortly in Raleigh County Circuit Court.

    Natalie has been charged with first-degree murder in the Feb. 2019 death of her husband, Michael.

    If found guilty, she faces up to life in prison, though the jury could decide to grand her mercy, making Natalie eligible for parole after a set number of years.

    If found not guilty of murder, the jury can still find Natalie guilty of involuntary manslaughter, which is a misdemeanor and carries up to a year sentence and up to a $1,000 fine.

    The prosecution has alleged Natalie killed Michael by injecting him with insulin to prevent him from learning of her more than $2 million Ponzi scheme, which she admitted to running from 2017 to 2019.

    Natalie is currently serving 11 years in federal prison for money laundering and wire fraud related to the Ponzi scheme.



    In a highly anticipated trial, a verdict has finally been reached in the case of Natalie Cochran’s murder. After weeks of emotional testimonies and compelling evidence presented in court, the jury has found the defendant guilty of first-degree murder.

    Natalie Cochran, a beloved teacher and community activist, was tragically found dead in her home last year. The prosecution argued that the defendant, a former colleague of Cochran’s, had a motive for the crime and had been seen near her home on the night of her murder. DNA evidence also linked the defendant to the crime scene.

    Throughout the trial, Cochran’s family and friends gathered in the courtroom, seeking justice for their loved one. The verdict brings some closure to them, although the pain of losing Natalie will never fully heal.

    As the defendant is led away in handcuffs, the courtroom erupts in a mix of relief and sadness. While justice has been served, the loss of Natalie Cochran’s bright spirit will never be forgotten.

    Rest in peace, Natalie Cochran. Your memory will live on in the hearts of those who loved you.

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