Natalie Cochran, convicted of fraud, pleads ‘not guilty’ to murdering her husband
BECKLEY, WV (WVNS) — Natalie Cochran, who is accused of first-degree murder in the February 11, 2019, death of her late husband, 38-year-old Michael Cochran, entered a second plea of “not guilty” during an arraignment hearing before Raleigh County Circuit Court Judge H.L. Kirkpatrick on Monday, January 29, 2024.
“Natalie Cochran, how do you plead to this charge of first-degree murder, as alleged against you?” Judge Kirkpatrick asked Cochran, as her lead attorney, Matthew Victor, stood protectively beside her and waived the reading of the indictment. “Are you guilty or not guilty of such offense?”
“Not guilty, your Honor,” Cochran replied.
Last year, Judge Kirkpatrick dismissed an earlier charge of first-degree murder against Cochran in Michael’s death, in order to give Raleigh County Prosecuting Attorney Ben Hatfield time to exhume Michael’s body for advanced testing, marking the second time Michael’s body was exhumed.
Victor agreed to the request, saying it would give Cochran’s attorneys additional time to prepare for the case.
Judge dismisses murder charge for Raleigh County woman already in prison
He said there was a factor of Cochran’s travel, since she is serving an 11-year sentence on fraud charges at Hazelton federal prison in Bruceton Mills, after pleading guilty in 2022 to charges related to a Ponzi scheme.
At her sentencing hearing, witnesses testified Cochran told them in 2018 that a business she and Michael had started was making money by providing gun contracts to the federal government.
Federal investigators said the couple spent investors’ money on themselves, living lavishly, and in reality, there was no business.
Natalie Cochran sentenced to prison for fraud scheme
Raleigh County Prosecuting Attorney Ben Hatfield said Michael was unaware of the Ponzi scheme and believed the business was legitimate.
His mother and stepfather invested their life savings but were seeing no return on the investment, Hatfield said, prompting Michael to begin insisting on information from the U.S. Department of Defense and his wife.
The prosecutor alleged Cochran murdered her husband at the couple’s Daniels home, which they shared with their children, by injecting him with insulin.
He died days later at Bowers Hospice House.
Michael Cochran’s death still under investigation
On Monday, Cochran’s attorneys, Victor and co-counsel Stan Selden, supported her plea of “not guilty.”
“We have complete faith in Natalie’s innocence,” Selden told 59News. “The great weight of evidence and testimony will show she’s not guilty.”
Prosecutor Hatfield said he is convinced of the case against Cochran.
Natalie Cochran indicted for first-degree murder
Despite the publicity of the case, Hatfield said he did not expect difficulties in impaneling a jury.
“I think a lot less people pay attention than we think,” said Hatfield. ” So, their pre-trial exposure to things are a lot less than you think. I anticipate being able to get a jury here. In the event that we don’t, there are measures in place to combat that and to protect the defendant’s rights.”
Judge Kirkpatrick issued strict deadlines, at the request of defense counsel and Hatfield.
Kirkpatrick approved Cochran’s request to attend most pre-trial hearings by video conference.
She will be present for her trial and some of the pre-trial hearings.
The trial is set for August 12, 2024, and Judge Kirkpatrick set a three-week schedule.
However, the trial may be completed earlier than three weeks.
Victor said defense attorneys plan to ask the court for permission to exhume Michael Cochran’s body for testing by an expert defense witness, a move Hatfield said after the hearing he would likely oppose.
It was unclear if defense attorneys plan to request that jurors be prevented from hearing testimony from Cochran’s federal hearing, in which witnesses testified that Natalie, not Micheal, had asked them to invest in the fictitious business.
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