Suvechha Sarkar
Michael Brandon Cochran was a talented computer specialist, a devoted husband, and a well-respected individual in the Beckley, West Virginia, community. However, his life was tragically cut short in February 2019 when he passed away due to an unexpected medical emergency. Something far darker lay beneath the surface as the investigators discovered a complex string of deception and financial crimes. NBC’s ‘Dateline: The Devil’s in the Details’ focuses on how the detectives uncovered the role of his wife, Natalie P. Cochran, in the untimely demise of her husband.
Behind Her Successful Career, Natalie Cochran Orchestrated a Million-Dollar Fraud
Natalie P. Jessup lit up the lives of Larry Jessup and his wife upon her birth sometime in 1981. Growing up, she was surrounded by the love of her parents and her older sister, Penny Lowery. Natalie was a determined individual and a woman of faith. Her life took a turn for the better when she met her partner, Michael Brandon Cochran. The duo shared their vows at a young age and welcomed their daughter, Nicole, and son, Ashton, into this world with immense joy. Natalie was working as a pharmacist, and everything in her life was going smoothly until 2016, when she allegedly got inspired by the movie ‘War Dogs.’ She quit her job and, alongside her husband, registered two companies – Tactical Solutions Group (TSG) and Technological Management Solutions (TMS) in June 2017.
Natalie owned the majority of the stakes in these companies and claimed that they were businesses that ran on contracts to provide weapons and other items to the federal government. She reportedly convinced a total of 11 individuals to invest a total of around $2.5 million, claiming that it would provide high profits. However, this was a ruse since the companies never received any contracts. Moreover, Natalie reportedly used the money to purchase several personal assets like a car, estates, etc. When the investors asked for their returns, she put forth excuses like her cancer treatments and the government holding their money back. She reportedly carried out a Ponzi scheme, where she received money from new investors and partially repaid the previous ones.
Natalie misinterpreted the valuation of her companies and claimed the couple’s assets to be over $500 million while asking for a loan from a bank. However, everything came crashing down when, on February 6, 2019, Michael collapsed in their home in Beckley, Raleigh County, West Virginia. This happened shortly before their meeting with the Bank of America. Natalie reportedly sent a picture of her unconscious husband to her friends and claimed that he was ill. However, when they urged her to seek medical care, she claimed that Michael would not like to go to the hospital. Hence, Natalie delayed medical help before finally rushing him to the hospital. The doctors discovered that he had cerebral edema, and his blood sugar level was alarmingly low.
Officials Gathered Multiple Circumstantial Evidences Against Natalie Cochran
Ultimately, on February 11, 2019, Michael passed away, and the authorities initially deemed it to be a natural death. Natalie continued to handle the business and was about to sell half of the company at a $4 million deal. However, her plan got sidetracked when the authorities issued a search warrant for her home on June 25, 2019, following a complaint from an investor. This brought forth several pieces of evidence of money laundering, and Natalie confessed to using investor money for personal use. Eventually, this led to her arrest, and on September 21, 2020, she pleaded guilty to the charges of wire fraud and money laundering. In March 2021, Natalie was sentenced to 11 years in federal prison, and the court asked her to return nearly $2.5 million to the investors as a form of restitution.
This conviction led the officials to launch an investigation into the suspicious circumstances of Michael’s death. The investigation revealed that an insulin vial was found in their home refrigerator. Additionally, Natalie’s texts to her friends informing them about her husband’s death also raised a major red flag. Besides this, she had prior knowledge of administering insulin and its devastating effects. In November 2021, Natalie was officially charged with the murder of her husband. However, the charges were dropped since the court ordered the officials to examine Michael’s remains again. The forensic reports confirmed his cause of death to be a homicide. This led to the arrest of Natalie again in October 2023, and she was charged with the first-degree murder of Michael.
Natalie Cochran is Serving Her Sentence at a West Virginia Prison Today
The jury trial of Natalie for the murder of Michael commenced on January 13, 2025. The prosecutor argued that Natalie manipulated her husband’s life, who allegedly had no idea that the company was not making any money. They highlighted the fact that Michael had grown suspicious of their financial situation and had started pressing his wife for answers. They further mentioned that this provided her with the option of either confessing to her crime or murdering her husband. Hence, despite his deteriorating health, Natalie reportedly refused to seek any medical help, which ultimately led to his untimely demise.
The evidence from the forensic findings was reportedly presented as proof before the court. They confirmed that Michael’s death was due to an unprescribed insulin administration. On the other hand, the defense argued that the evidence was circumstantial and suggested that Michael’s use of steroids and supplements for his bodybuilding activities might have been the cause of his death. Ultimately, after an intense two-hour deliberation, the jury found Natalie guilty of the first-degree murder of Michael on January 29, 2025. However, there was a mercy hearing held on the very next day, which could have provided her with the possibility of avoiding a life sentence without parole.
However, the jury decided to deny mercy, leading to the sentencing of life imprisonment without any possibility of parole. Following this, the defense claimed that the vast media coverage of the case had biased the jury’s decision and requested a change of venue. They also filed a motion for acquittal and a new trial. However, both of these requests were denied by the court in February 2025. As of writing, Natalie Cochran is serving her sentence at FCI Hazelton Medium, which is located in Bruceton Mills, West Virginia.
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