Deceased/Not Found NC - Christopher 'Cole' Thomas, 22, Benson, 25 Nov 2016 *Arrests*

[stefaniejanine]

The Caption under the photo says "Benson Police released the last known photos of Cole Thomas, taken from a security camera the night he was reported missing. (Benson Police Department)"

Definitely missed that. Thank you!

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[BloodHoundSleuther]

Update:

http://abc11.com/news/$10000-reward-offered-in-search-for-missing-son/1644582/

Updated 2 hrs 28 mins ago
BENSON, North Carolina (WTVD) -- The family of Christopher Cole Thomas, in collaboration with the CUE Center for Missing Persons, is offering a $10,000 reward for information on his whereabouts.

The 22-year-old has been missing for 12 days and disappeared under unusual circumstances. His Florida father has spent the last week and a half in North Carolina searching for him.

The bizarre incident happened in Benson on Nov. 25. According to investigators, two friends riding with Cole Thomas say he suddenly stopped the vehicle, jumped out and ran away.

The friends allegedly tried to chase after Cole but were unsuccessful in catching up to him so they called police.

The father, Christopher Thomas, said he is not sure why his son - who goes by Cole -- would have taken off after stopping in Benson. Cole and his friends had been traveling on Interstate 40 and were headed to Durham.

That is why he is here from Florida -- to try to get answers from Benson Police.

On Wednesday, the father met with police.

The SBI is now involved because Benson Police believe Cole may be in danger.

Cole was last seen at the intersection of Morgan and Elm Street.

Benson Police released the last known photos of Cole Thomas, taken from a security camera the night he was reported missing.

Cole's father says he didn't know the friends who were with Cole that night.

He says he still believes his son is alive.

Meanwhile, family members have set up a page to help with Thomas' search for his son. Just click the link if you'd like to help.

The Benson Police Department said Cole Thomas is approximately 6-1, and weighs about 230 pounds, with brown/blond hair and blue eyes. In the security camera photos, he is wearing a blue T-Shirt, black pants, and a blue and white baseball cap.

Anyone who may have seen Cole Thomas, or have information regarding his location, is asked to contact Chief Kenneth Edwards or Captain Greg Percy at the Benson Police Department, at (919) 894-2091. Information may also be emailed to the Police Department, using crimeline@bensonpd.org. You can also contact the SBI Raleigh Division (919) 779-8188 or (800-334-3000 after 5:00 pm. For reward information contact CUE Center for Missing Persons (910) 343-1131 or the 24 hours tip line (910) 232-1687

 

[Tabirey]

The Caption under the photo says "Benson Police released the last known photos of Cole Thomas, taken from a security camera the night he was reported missing. (Benson Police Department)"

Unfortunately, it isn't specific on whether this was before or after he went missing! Just the "night he was reported missing "

 

[thesaint]

Given Cole's itinerant history and the so weird that no one would come up with it as a cover story for nefarious activity description of events (Cole driving them into a residential neighborhood and then jumping out and running off), I'm leaning toward voluntarily off the grid for a bit on this one. Possible Cole just wanted a ride to NC for his own reasons.

 

[LisaWL7TR]

Given Cole's itinerant history and the so weird that no one would come up with it as a cover story for nefarious activity description of events (Cole driving them into a residential neighborhood and then jumping out and running off), I'm leaning toward voluntarily off the grid for a bit on this one. Possible Cole just wanted a ride to NC for his own reasons.

It seemed like imho that Cole was driving.

I do remember reading on here that there is a certain age when young men have problems...mentally? Or a certain age when it will first manifest.

I hope and pray he is found safe.

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[Thyme]

He looks like he is into body building. I wonder if steroids or any other performance enhancing drugs are involved? Could make him extremely paranoid, moody etc. I imagine that they have already checked his phone pings and bank account. This whole story sounds strange. Hopefully he turns up.

 

[Thyme]

According to this missing poster it was the friends vehicle. The reward expires January 6, 2017 Hmmm...

Edit: Corrected date.

 

[LisaWL7TR]

So...Cole was driving the friends vehicle or is it being reported differently? I believe initial post was he (Cole) stopped the car.

According to this missing poster it was the friends vehicle. The reward expires January 6, 2017 Hmmm...

Edit: Corrected date.

It seemed like imho that Cole was driving.

I do remember reading on here that there is a certain age when young men have problems...mentally? Or a certain age when it will first manifest.

I hope and pray he is found safe.

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[BlkMtnGirl]

So...Cole was driving the friends vehicle or is it being reported differently? I believe initial post was he (Cole) stopped the car.

Definitely being reported differently. It was previously, "As they were driving through a residential area, the driver, Thomas, suddenly stopped his vehicle, jumped out and ran away, the report states." Now he was "last seen getting out of a friend's vehicle."

At first, I was hopeful that Cole was missing by choice. One idea was that maybe (just speculation on my part) he had possession of money that was supposed to be used by the three "for nefarious purposes," as somebody upthread worded it. When he jumped out and took it with him, the other two went to police to try to track him down. (MOO)

Now, I'm concerned because of the discrepancies between initial clothing descriptions and security footage, as well as the change in wording above. I hope the change in wording doesn't mean a change in the stories of the two "friends," who were initially reported as "acquaintances." If so, that's a big uh-oh. Feel sorry for Cole's dad. Seems like he's really trying hard to get to the bottom of this.

 

[LisaWL7TR]

Definitely being reported differently. It was previously, "As they were driving through a residential area, the driver, Thomas, suddenly stopped his vehicle, jumped out and ran away, the report states." Now he was "last seen getting out of a friend's vehicle."

At first, I was hopeful that Cole was missing by choice. One idea was that maybe (just speculation on my part) he had possession of money that was supposed to be used by the three "for nefarious purposes," as somebody upthread worded it. When he jumped out and took it with him, the other two went to police to try to track him down. (MOO)

Now, I'm concerned because of the discrepancies between initial clothing descriptions and security footage, as well as the change in wording above. I hope the change in wording doesn't mean a change in the stories of the two "friends," who were initially reported as "acquaintances." If so, that's a big uh-oh. Feel sorry for Cole's dad. Seems like he's really trying hard to get to the bottom of this.

Oh that is right the clothing was reported differently also. Very concerned. I feel for the dad.

Do we know if his friends/acquaintances are still there helping to search for Cole or did they need to return home because of obligations such as work or school?
I guess I need to read up.

I'm not sure what to think about that security footage released of Cole in a store. Is someone approaching him on the first frame? Or traveling acquaintance?

Also, I looked at where he was said to jump out and it is mostly a residential area.




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[LisaWL7TR]

Nothing really knew just a recap of what has been told or is known about Cole going missing.

was traveling on I-40 with two of his friends to spend the Thanksgiving holiday weekend in Durham. His friends said Cole got off the interstate, drove to a residential area and near the intersection of Elm and Morgan Streets, put the car in park, jumped out and ran away

....and the photo's from the security camera

http://www.jocoreport.com/2016/12/08/last-known-surveillance-images-of-missing-man-released/

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[Thyme]

The missing poster stating that it was the friends vehicle came from his fathers FB. I also read in some comments that he did not have his phone. It along with his wallet were left behind in his truck. This story sounds like a coverup to cover someones butt. Possibly because people knew he had been with them.
moo

 

[BloodHoundSleuther]

My issue with the "breaking free" story is why would the two acquaintances then go to the police so quickly? If I had kidnapped someone, I certainly wouldn't go to the police to report him missing, especially with such a strange story.

I'm thinking he was either tripping on drugs OR he was never in Benson and was killed somewhere else.

The reporting on this story is very conflicting. I have also read that the aquaintences reported Cole missing to the police, however, The Daily Record reported "Police became aware of the situation after an officer on patrol noticed activity at the intersection where the missing man's car had been parked."

http://www.mydailyrecord.com/eedition/featured/2016/12/02/man-missing-from-benson-for-over-a-week/

If the reporting above is correct, then it doesn't sound as if the aquaintences went to police but that the missing man's parked car got the attention of the police. That is a very important distinction!

Also, I wish we had the time of day or night when Cole was seen on camera at the convienence store. I have read multiple articles that state Cole was last seen fleeing the car so, I feel it's fairly safe to assume he was seen on camera at the convience store prior to being officially missing. The time seen at the convienence store is critical because the time reported when he was last seen fleeing the car was around 3 AM near North Elm Street and East Morgan Street.

The discrepancy in the clothes he was supposedly wearing is also concerning. Again, this is why the time at the convience store is so important. If there were only minutes between the stop at the convienence store and the time Cole fled the vehicle, it makes no sense that he was wearing a blue shirt at the convience store and then had a red shirt on when fleeing the vehicle. However, if the stop at the convienence store was hours apart from when he fled the vehicle, then it's more plausible he could of changed shirts.

The original story was that the three were heading to Durham. Durham is slightly less than an hour from Benson. I'm wondering if the three actually could have made it to Durham and something went wrong.

We know for a fact Cole was seen on camera at the convienence store in Benson, so we can't dispute he was there but with all the discrepancies in reporting and differences in what Cole was last seen wearing, something doesn't sit right with me regarding the acquaintences.

 

[Tabirey]

Also, I looked at where he was said to jump out and it is mostly a residential area.

You are correct Lisa. It is a very cute, small town that goes from residential to farm properties very quickly.

 

[LisaWL7TR]

The reporting on this story is very conflicting. I have also read that the aquaintences reported Cole missing to the police, however, The Daily Record reported "Police became aware of the situation after an officer on patrol noticed activity at the intersection where the missing man's car had been parked."

http://www.mydailyrecord.com/eedition/featured/2016/12/02/man-missing-from-benson-for-over-a-week/

If the reporting above is correct, then it doesn't sound as if the aquaintences went to police but that the missing man's parked car got the attention of the police. That is a very important distinction!

Also, I wish we had the time of day or night when Cole was seen on camera at the convienence store. I have read multiple articles that state Cole was last seen fleeing the car so, I feel it's fairly safe to assume he was seen on camera at the convience store prior to being officially missing. The time seen at the convienence store is critical because the time reported when he was last seen fleeing the car was around 3 AM near North Elm Street and East Morgan Street.

The discrepancy in the clothes he was supposedly wearing is also concerning. Again, this is why the time at the convience store is so important. If there were only minutes between the stop at the convienence store and the time Cole fled the vehicle, it makes no sense that he was wearing a blue shirt at the convience store and then had a red shirt on when fleeing the vehicle. However, if the stop at the convienence store was hours apart from when he fled the vehicle, then it's more plausible he could of changed shirts.

The original story was that the three were heading to Durham. Durham is slightly less than an hour from Benson. I'm wondering if the three actually could have made it to Durham and something went wrong.

We know for a fact Cole was seen on camera at the convienence store in Benson, so we can't dispute he was there but with all the discrepancies in reporting and differences in what Cole was last seen wearing, something doesn't sit right with me regarding the acquaintences.

I wonder if LE noticed the car while the acquaintances were away? They may have walked up and told LE the story and was advised to file a report?

I hope Dad's presence in Benson brings answers.



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[BloodHoundSleuther]

I wonder if LE noticed the car while the acquaintances were away? They may have walked up and told LE the story and was advised to file a report?

I hope Dad's presence in Benson brings answers.



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That seems like it could be a good possibility considering the aquaintences reported to spend time looking for Cole after he ran off.

 

[Vail]

I think a lot could be explained by what their story is of what they were doing before this and where they were going. The last story I read about where someone jumped out of a car at an intersection and ran off, he was found hung in a tree in a nearby yard.

 

[kristinaborderline]

I lived in Jacksonville NC for 7 years (right out side a military base) could it have been drugs? You would be surprised at the amount of drugs moving around and on military bases.


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[FindHG]

Awful that there's no word of Cole still. That whole story about his jumping out of the car at that intersection sounds like an explanation for why Cole wasn't seen with those two after that and may have been seen with or known to have been with them prior to it, seems to me. So if that is true, then why would they need to make up a story about Cole jumping out of the car right there? Is it meant to distract from another location? Or is it conceivably within distance of where he could be found? Have dogs been used to search for him in the area around the town?

Continued prayers and thoughts that Cole be found and return to his family safely.

 

[PirateGirl]

I live in Benson and this whole thing is perplexing. Benson is a small, small town. The "downtown" area has maybe 3 stoplights...a couple more at the I95 Interchange. The main "downtown" part of Benson is easily accessed off I95. When you exit, you are on the main street. If you access it off I40, you have to go through a bit of "country" (maybe a couple of miles) until you get to hwy 301. Once you get to 301, you turn right, go about 1/2 mile and you will be on the opposite end of the main street from 95. The police station is a block over on a street that runs parallel to the main street. I have a friend who is a county Sheriff's Deputy who I am going to speak with tomorrow...I don't like how the story keeps changing, ever so little (details). My Uncle is Chief of a PD in a town about 45 minutes away and I am also going to see what he knows or thinks. In the meantime, I will pray for Cole and his family. I don't think the folks he was with were "friends" as initially reported. :fishy: