The trial of a woman charged in connection with the 2014 murder, dismemberment, and dumping of 53-year-old Michigan resident Christopher Regan in Iron County, MI got underway on Tuesday with opening statements and testimony from the first prosecution witnesses.
Kelly Marie Cochran, 34, faces multiple charges related to the death of Regan, who police have said they believe was shot and killed by Cochran’s late husband after he came home to “find” Regan with her. Police say the entire “caught in the act” thing was simply a ruse and Regan was lured to the home where he was murdered. Cochran in accused of then helping chop up Regan’s body and dumping it in the deep woods in northern Michigan.
According to the Iron County Reporter newspaper, Cochran’s defense team failed to obtain a change of venue during a hearing last month after arguing there was too much publicity about the case in the county and because the police chief who led the investigation was subsequently dismissed from her duties as police chief.
Nearly 16 months after Regan’s death, police in Indiana accused Cochran of killing her then-husband (the man police say shot Regan), and of attempting to cover up the death as though it was a heroin overdose. She faces separate charges in Indiana related to that death and while in jail she has reportedly claimed responsibility for additional deaths, though police have been unable to verify any additional claims at this time.
Editor’s Note: This article was updated to include the proper name of the Iron County newspaper.
[image via screengrab]
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