BECKLEY, W.Va. – The trial for a woman accused of first degree murder is expected to pick up where it left off on Jan. 27. Court was not held on Friday due to scheduling conflicts with defense witnesses.
Natalie Cochran is accused of poisoning her husband Michael Cochran with insulin in 2019. We’re taking the time to offer a quick re-cap as to what’s happened so far.
Prosecutors allege that Natalie killed Michael as a way to conceal a Ponzi scheme she’s currently serving 11 years in prison for.
During opening statements on day one of the trial saw prosecuting attorney Tom Truman admit the state has no DNA evidence but a lot of circumstantial evidence that will point to Natalie.
“He did not know what was going on. He was determined to find out because people were saying hey we invested into your company and we’re not getting our money back. He was frustrated, he was very frustrated. But the same excuses provided by the defendant to all of her victims in the Ponzi scheme were being provided to Michael too,” said Truman.
Defense attorney Matthew Victor called the state’s theory “nonsense”. He conceded Natalie may have been dishonest with people’s money but was not a killer.
“We represent somebody who again who is perhaps dishonest in her financial dealings but she didn’t kill anybody. Let alone her husband, the only man in her life,” said Victors.
Some of the circumstantial evidence the prosecution pointed out includes some of the investigators of the Ponzi scheme which was set up to appear as a government contracting business.
“The information that was false or deceptive that was being given to victim investors of the business was the exact same information that was being given to Mr. Cochran when he would question why the business hadn’t received its money from the contracts. He did participate in looking for contracts for the business to bid on but that was about the extent of his involvement,” said Robert Hinzman, former West Virginia State Trooper.
The state also brought family friends of the Cochran’s to the stand. One of those being neighbor Jennifer Davis, who says she offered a bottle of insulin to Natalie Cochran after Natalie complained that she was ill.
The insulin was dropped off at the Cochran home the same day Michael Cochran became ill.
“I had put together a few drinks and I put the insulin in a bag and gave it to my husband and he dropped it off on the porch on the way to work,” said Davis.
Experts from the FBI testified about their examination of insulin vials seized from the Cochran household. One of the vials had been punctured according to testimony.
Medical experts also testified to what they believe happened after Michael Cochran died of brain swelling caused by low blood sugar.
“Manner of death would be homicide because there’s no evidence he administered insulin himself. People don’t accidentally administer insulin to themselves,” said Dr. Paul Uribe.
On Thursday the defense beginning to lay out their case. Calling their own witnesses. One of those being Natalie and Michael’s daughter, Nicole Cochran. She says her father ran the couple’s fake business.
The state wants the jury to believe Michael was healthy before his death but the defense disagrees. Nicole Cochran testified that her father was obsessed with looking perfect and would lay out different supplements on a counter, taking handfuls every morning.
“He would lay all of his pills out on the counter and there would be so many of them that they would sit in a full circle the size of a dinner plate. He would scoop them, handfuls at a time in his mouth. He would use the sink water to drain them down,” said Nicole.
Nicole also testifies that her father would order steroids from Mexico and take them orally every day using a dropper. Her juvenile brother taking the stand as well, corroborating that story.
Even adding that their father also injected himself with anabolic steroids.
Natalie Cochran’s older sister also testified to Michael’s supplements and injections.
“He really never told me anything. I would just, I said would you please stop that. You’ve gotta stop that. It’s not good for you and he would always just laugh and say oh, you’re retarded Penny it’s okay,” said Penny Lowery, Natalie’s older sister.
WVVA will continue to follow the trial and bring you the very latest. For previous coverage click here.
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