Closing arguments will begin Tuesday in 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 after a trial lasting into a third week.
Kelly Marie Cochran, 34, faces 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 by Cochran where he was murdered. Cochran is accused of then helping chop up Regan’s body and dumping it in the deep woods in northern Michigan.
For nearly two weeks, prosecutors called a number of witnesses and played several jailhouse interrogation tapes in which they tried to prove that Cochran admitted to playing a role in plotting and participating in Regan’s death.
After the prosecution rested, the defense made the somewhat unusual move of calling the defendant to the stand to testify in her own defense. During her testimony over the course of two days, Cochran essentially said everything that jurors heard from prosecutors about her role in the crimes was a lie and made up. She also maintained that she was forced to participate by an abusive former husband.
Cochran faces a life sentence for the charge of homicide-open murder; up to a 10-year sentence on charges of conspiracy to commit dead bodies-dismemberment and mutilation; five years for concealing the death of an individual; five-years for accessory after the fact to a felony four-years for larceny in a building; and four years for lying to a peace officer-violent crime investigation.
Nearly 16 months after Regan’s death, police in Indiana accused Cochran of killing her then-husband (Jason, 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 Jason’s 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.
Stick with LawNewz to watch all the closing arguments via livestream directly from the courtroom.
[image via screengrab]
