GUILTY MS - Donna Cochran, 44, found murdered, Carthage, 11 Aug 2010

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Just to fill in some of the gaps. The husband and his father-in-law were together at the f-in-l's chicken houses working that night. They were picking up chickens that night. If you're not familiar with this, it's an all night process and requires many people. Therefore, he has an alibi. There's only one door for the building, which was kept locked when she was there by herself.
 
Welcome to Websleuths Kris 10 S! Thank you for trying to help us get the facts straight.

Are you from the Carthage area, or a friend of the family? This is interesting information if it has been confirmed. Where did you find this info? Do you have personal knowledge of info not yet reported in the news?

I am also confused about the father-in-law. Isn't he the person who found her? If the husband and FIL were together, was hubby not out of town until the next day? Does FIL live in another town, hence the referance to hubby being out of town at his FIL house? If H and FIL were in the same town together, why did he send FIL home instead of just going home himself?

Is there anyone else who you might suspect, who would be capable of breaking in and executing Donna so coldly? He would have to be really fast to break the window, climb in, spot Donna and pop off four head shots before she could get out from behind the desk. It looks like a small, one room shop, are you familiar enough with the building to know where the window was in relation to the desk?

I am sorry for all of the questions! I told you I'm confused! Thanks in advance!
 
:Welcome-12-june:

Kris10 S said:
Just to fill in some of the gaps. The husband and his father-in-law were together at the f-in-l's chicken houses working that night. They were picking up chickens that night. If you're not familiar with this, it's an all night process and requires many people. Therefore, he has an alibi. There's only one door for the building, which was kept locked when she was there by herself.
Click to expand...
 
TGIRecovered said:
Welcome to Websleuths Kris 10 S! Thank you for trying to help us get the facts straight.

Are you from the Carthage area, or a friend of the family? This is interesting information if it has been confirmed. Where did you find this info? Do you have personal knowledge of info not yet reported in the news?

I am also confused about the father-in-law. Isn't he the person who found her? If the husband and FIL were together, was hubby not out of town until the next day? Does FIL live in another town, hence the referance to hubby being out of town at his FIL house? If H and FIL were in the same town together, why did he send FIL home instead of just going home himself?

Is there anyone else who you might suspect, who would be capable of breaking in and executing Donna so coldly? He would have to be really fast to break the window, climb in, spot Donna and pop off four head shots before she could get out from behind the desk. It looks like a small, one room shop, are you familiar enough with the building to know where the window was in relation to the desk?

I am sorry for all of the questions! I told you I'm confused! Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...

I believe Kris's message states M was working with HIS fil catching chickens. The fil, Donna's father, JG lives I believe in another community in Leake County. So, I guess it could be said that M was out of town that night. Hope this helps to explain.
 
TGIRecovered said:
Anne and jokey, thank you for keeping us up on the details of this case! I know you both must torn between the hope that no one you know is the cuplrit and the need to find who killed this poor lady!

Judging from only what I have learned as an amateur sleuth, the more details revealed in this murder, the more it appears to have been committed by someone who knew the victim well enough to need to be sure she would not survive the shooting.

I think that she knew her killer. If the motive were robbery, there would be no need to attract attention and leave behind oodles of forensic evidence by shooting her four times, all in the head...very loud, very messy, lots of blowback on the shooter. A robber would prefer to hide his face with a mask or hat/glasses or hoodie and intimidate the victim into cooperation...maybe tie and gag her.

Time of death will be interesting, once confirmed. Her husband is the most likely culprit if you go by stats. He is in the position of being closely related to two other women whose murders are unsolved, if local's info can be confirmed. I assume that he did go out of town, but unless his wherabouts at the time she was killed can be absolutely verified, he could have left town immediately after. I am always more suspicious of a spouse who just happens to have left town shortly before the other spouse is involved in some bizzare tragedy.

Can either of you locals find out if her husband traveled regularly, or if this trip was an out of the ordinary occurrance?
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I truly hope you are wrong about her husband having anything to do with this. I remember him as being very polite, mild mannered, and loving toward her. But in this world you just never know.
I'm sure you have read Kris's message regarding M being at his fil's chicken houses that night. Catching chickens is an all night job.
But the mystery of her sister, C, and her sil, Shondra's murders does make me wonder.
Thanks for your interest in this case. Donna was a totally lovely person.
 
Thanks for the clarification jokie! I read it again and your interpretation makes perfect sense.

I can see that Donna and her family are well-loved by many in your close community. It sounds like a very nice place to live, with lots of friendly neighbors who truly care for each other!

I too, hope that her husband had nothing to do with her murder! I have nothing at all against the man, and have read nothing to indicate that he is anything but a good man.

I look at the circumstances of this crime, and the details available so far just don't fit with a generic robbery or a stranger murder.

* 4 shots to the head = overkill, usualy associated with murder by
someone intimately related to the victim.

* H was the last person to see her alive.

* Entry appears to have been made by breaking window; a noise which
would have alerted Donna in time try to escape through the front door,
yet:

* Donna was shot while she was still behind the desk...Did she recognize
and feel safe with this person? Did the person come in the door,
breaking the window after the murder to make it look as if it was a
break-in?

* In a community as close as this one, wouldn't someone have noticed
a stranger, possibly covered in blood? A strange vehicle?
 
TGIRecovered said:
Thanks for the clarification jokie! I read it again and your interpretation makes perfect sense.

I can see that Donna and her family are well-loved by many in your close community. It sounds like a very nice place to live, with lots of friendly neighbors who truly care for each other!

I too, hope that her husband had nothing to do with her murder! I have nothing at all against the man, and have read nothing to indicate that he is anything but a good man.

I look at the circumstances of this crime, and the details available so far just don't fit with a generic robbery or a stranger murder.

* 4 shots to the head = overkill, usualy associated with murder by
someone intimately related to the victim.

* H was the last person to see her alive.

* Entry appears to have been made by breaking window; a noise which
would have alerted Donna in time try to escape through the front door,
yet:

* Donna was shot while she was still behind the desk...Did she recognize
and feel safe with this person? Did the person come in the door,
breaking the window after the murder to make it look as if it was a
break-in?

* In a community as close as this one, wouldn't someone have noticed
a stranger, possibly covered in blood? A strange vehicle?
Click to expand...

All excellent questions! There is rarely news on the weekend, so today I am going to see what additional info I can find out from my niece and nephew. I am still reeling from this news. Heartbreaking.
 
Sorry it's taken me so long to get back. My service at my house it horrible. Anyway, I live in Scott county, but I'm only a hop-skip away. I've met Donna and her husband and have been to their shop.

First to clear up a little more about the Mike (husband) - He was with the FIL at his place which is in Leake county but in a different community, picking up chickens the whole night. It was Mike's father that found Donna. Mike received a call from one of the ladies from Donna's work because she had not shown up nor called and Mike called Donna also. So, at that time he called his father that lives close to their house, to go check on her.

The location of her body was in the front left corner of the building which is where the counter/desk is and same corner as the broken window.
 
Wow, so so sad. It is as if death and tragedy have a peronal interest in this family and are stalking them. Prayers for this community as it deals with such a shocking murder.
 
Kris10 S said:
Sorry it's taken me so long to get back. My service at my house it horrible. Anyway, I live in Scott county, but I'm only a hop-skip away. I've met Donna and her husband and have been to their shop.

First to clear up a little more about the Mike (husband) - He was with the FIL at his place which is in Leake county but in a different community, picking up chickens the whole night. It was Mike's father that found Donna. Mike received a call from one of the ladies from Donna's work because she had not shown up nor called and Mike called Donna also. So, at that time he called his father that lives close to their house, to go check on her.

The location of her body was in the front left corner of the building which is where the counter/desk is and same corner as the broken window.
Click to expand...

Thank you for explaining! So now I understand that Donna's father-in-law found her and Mike was with his father-in-law working with the chickens.
 
Hey Guys - please keep in mind that WS is a victim friendly forum and that includes family members of a victim.

There is to be NO sleuthing of the husband or other family members brought to this thread unless or until LE or MSM give us some indication this is a direction to be looking in.

Until that happens, family members are off limits for posting here.

Thanks for your cooperation and may Donna rest in peace.

Salem
 
Fist of all I would just like to say that i am a close family friend of Donna and Mike. I grew up in the community and have know mike all my life. there are a few facts that need to be cleared up. Donna was not shot 4 times only 2. and her older sister was not mudered. She died from an accidental self inflicted gunshot. There has never been any suggestion of murder in her death till i saw it posted on here. I know everyone wants to help but spreading uninformed information is not the way to do it. Thank you
 
ConcernedNeighbor said:
Fist of all I would just like to say that i am a close family friend of Donna and Mike. I grew up in the community and have know mike all my life. there are a few facts that need to be cleared up. Donna was not shot 4 times only 2. and her older sister was not mudered. She died from an accidental self inflicted gunshot. There has never been any suggestion of murder in her death till i saw it posted on here. I know everyone wants to help but spreading uninformed information is not the way to do it. Thank you
Click to expand...

My apologies for the conflicting information. I appreciate that you were able to clear that up. It was not my intention to spread rumors. Another neighbor of Donna and Mike's told me there were 4 shots. Also, I remember when C died, there was speculation regarding her death. Again, sorry for the confusion. I would be interested in any other facts you have on this case. I knew Donna and Mike well and loved both of them. They were great kids in high school and I'm sure have remained so into adulthood.
 
If you have never worked in the poultry industry as her husband and her father does then you have no idea what a long day is. selling your chickens when they are ready to be sold is not something that is governed by a timeclock. You work till the job is done no matter how long it takes. I know this from personal experience because i spent my first twenty years working in my parents poultry farm. Also donnas father is in his 80's and mike was doing what any decent son-in-law would do. speculation about family involvement is abosulutely the wrong direction to look in this case.
 
Such a terriable thing for everyone to have lost a loved one from a close knit community. My heart goes out to the family, friends and to her community.

:praying:

I just have a general question on rather or not there has been confirmation on time of death from the ME?
 
Angel4u2Whisper2 said:
Such a terriable thing for everyone to have lost a loved one from a close knit community. My heart goes out to the family, friends and to her community.

:praying:

I just have a general question on rather or not there has been confirmation on time of death from the ME?
Click to expand...

BBM: I mean to have lost a loved one. I can't edit. Must be I make too many mistakes. :blushing:
 
Just checking in this morning to see if there is any additional news about Donna. I haven't seen anything since fhc's post regarding the reward. My niece says there are rumors flying all around the area, but the police are not giving out any information.
My prayer is comfort and peace for the families and that whoever did this heinous crime be brought to justice.
 
I read on the online version of the local paper, The Carthaginian, that the reward has been raised to $15,000 and the family are accepting donations to increase it. The sheriff still saying that there are no leads in this case and they need some tips. I would post it here, but you have to subscribe for the online version and I don't have a subscription. If you go to the website, www.thecarthaginian.com, you can read it if you zoom on page 1. Sorry....I wish I could be more helpful.
 
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