Suvechha Sarkar
In October 2014, 53-year-old Christopher Karl Regan, lovingly known as Chris, suddenly disappeared from Iron River, Michigan. As detectives dug deeper, the death of another 37-year-old man named Jason Thad Cochran in February 2016 was quickly linked to Chris’ disappearance. Shortly after, Chris’ remains were discovered in a wooded area in Iron River. ABC’s ’20/20: Where Monsters Hide’ sheds light on the complex investigation that unraveled a disturbing story involving betrayal, marriage, and lies. The episode also features interviews with their loved ones and officials who helped solve the double homicide.
Chris Regan Was Planning to Relocate When He Went Missing
Christopher Karl Regan, affectionately known as Chris among his loved ones, was born sometime in 1961. Although no public reports provide information about his early life, we know that he grew up in Detroit, Michigan. His acquaintances described him as a meticulous and hardworking individual. After completing his education, he decided to pursue his passion to serve the country. It paved the way for him to join the Air Force. After serving there for several years, Chris returned to civilian life and settled in Traverse City, Michigan.
In adulthood, Chris entered a relationship, which helped him welcome his sons, including Chris Regan Jr. Sadly, the relationship didn’t work out, and he and his partner parted ways. He eventually began dating a woman named Terri O’Donnell and moved to Iron River, Michigan, to be closer to her. There, he joined the manufacturing company Oldenburg Group as a Team Leader. By 2014, he and Terri decided to end their relationship and remain as friends. He also accepted a job offer in Asheville, North Carolina, and was preparing to move there.
On October 14, 2014, Chris unexpectedly didn’t show up for work at Oldenburg Group. As his coworkers and Terri were unable to contact him over the next two weeks, they grew concerned. In late October, she reported him missing, leading to an extensive search. When officials checked his home, they found open suitcases and packing boxes, indicating he was preparing to move. However, they noticed no signs of forced entry in the house. Shortly after, they discovered Chris’ abandoned car at a park-and-ride. Inside the vehicle, they found a Post-it note with directions to the residence of a man named Jason Thad Cochran.
Chris’ Remains Were Found in a Wooded Area a Few Months After Jason’s Death
Jason was born on August 4, 1978, to Chester and Mary Cochran. He grew up in Indiana, alongside his sister, Michelle Cochran, and brother, Chet Cochran. At a young age, he crossed paths with Kelly Marie Cochran, and they eventually began dating. After graduating from Merrillville High School, they got married in 2002. Together, they launched a pool-servicing business, but he reportedly had to step back 10 years later due to chronic back pain. According to his friend, they moved to Iron River in 2013 so that Jason could obtain medical marijuana to manage his pain.
In 2016, Jason was pursuing a degree in Business Management at Purdue University Calumet. On February 20, 2016, Kelly called 911 to report that her husband was vomiting, barely breathing, and his face looked blue. After medical personnel arrived at the scene, they rushed him to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The experts reportedly noted that it appeared he had passed away from a heroin overdose, which he had been using to get relief from his back pain. The autopsy report confirmed he had a high amount of the drug in his system, but also determined that his cause of death was asphyxiation from strangulation.
Jason’s manner of death was ruled a homicide. According to court records, detectives found a connection between his death and Chris’ disappearance. Ultimately, an unexpected tip led them to a wooded area on a hiking trail in Iron River on May 17, 2016. Nearby, they uncovered a skull, which was confirmed to be Chris’ through dental records. Additionally, they discovered a .22-caliber bullet and parts of a rifle at the scene. The autopsy reportedly uncovered that his skull had a hole consistent with a gunshot wound, and his manner of death was determined to be a homicide.
Kelly Cochran Was Arrested After Jason’s Death and Her Confession
During Chris’ missing-persons investigation, authorities learned that he and Terri had broken up because he was also dating another married coworker, Kelly, at the same time. When officials followed the address written on the note inside his car, they were led to the house of Kelly and her husband, Jason. As per police records, when Jason was interrogated at the station, he admitted that he knew about his wife’s affairs and was upset about it. He went on to say that he was struggling mentally and had recently visited the hospital. However, when Kelly was questioned, she confessed to having an affair with Chris but insisted that Jason was okay with it.
When officials checked Jason and Kelly’s phones, they found a text message in which he said he had spotted her car outside Chris’ apartment and asked her not to meet the 53-year-old anymore. According to official records, her neighbors contacted police to report that they heard power tools being used at her home around 2 am or 3 am, around the time Chris went missing. On March 16, 2015, when investigators searched their home, they discovered several knives and a pistol. In the basement, they reportedly discovered Jason’s journal, in which he described himself as a “hunter” hunting his “prey.” The following day, authorities learned from a GPS tracker planted on the pair’s car that they had packed and moved to Indiana.
Things changed in February 2016, when Jason unexpectedly died, and his death was ruled a homicide. Investigative reports suggest that after multiple interrogations, Kelly confessed that Chris was shot dead, but alleged that Jason was the killer and she was forced by her husband to help dismember his remains. Following that, Kelly fled to Kentucky, and the detectives tracked her down before arresting her on April 28, 2016. She was charged with first-degree murder, conspiracy to mutilate a dead body, larceny in a building, concealing the death of an individual, and lying to a peace officer during a violent-crime investigation in relation to Chris’ murder. She also faced another murder charge for Jason’s death.
Kelly Cochran is Incarcerated at a Michigan Prison Facility Today
After Kelly was taken into custody, she claimed before law enforcement that she and Jason had a marriage pact that if either of them had an affair, the unfaithful person would have to murder their affair partner or be killed by their spouse. Eventually, she led them to Chris’ remains in the woods in Iron River on May 17, 2016. Her jury trial for the homicide of the 53-year-old commenced in February 2017. The prosecution highlighted Kelly’s claim about her marriage pact with Jason and alleged that she lured Chris to her home, where her husband shot him.
The prosecution insisted that Kelly was a willing participant in the killing and disposal of remains. On the other hand, the defense alleged that Jason acted alone, and Kelly participated in the aftermath to protect herself. Ultimately, she was convicted of all five charges against her related to Chris’ murder on February 28, 2017. On May 10, she was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for murder and received additional sentences for the other charges in Michigan. In April 2018, Kelly pleaded guilty to Jason’s murder in Indiana and was sentenced to an additional 65 years in prison.
Kelly later appealed her Michigan convictions, raising concerns about the admission of certain evidence at trial and claiming that it had prejudiced the jury against her. On June 11, 2019, the Appellate Court rejected the arguments and upheld the Trial Court’s judgment. She then sought review from the Michigan Supreme Court, but in March 2020, the court denied her appeal. Kelly is currently serving her sentence at the Women’s Huron Valley Correctional Facility in Ypsilanti, Michigan.
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