Kelly Cochran found guilty on murder charge

The verdict is in...Kelly Cochran convicted of murder. The eight-women, four-men jury found the 34-year-old Iron County woman guilty on all counts in the death of Christopher Regan.

The nearly three-week murder trial has been a long time coming and Tuesday, it has finally come to an end. In her closing, Prosecuting Attorney Melissa Powell made it a strong point to have a part of Regan present while she drove home the fact that Cochran played a huge role in his death and the cover up of it.

"Chief Frizzo testified his [Chris Regan's] watch, wallet, car keys,phone and necklace are still missing to this day," Powell told the jury. "Actually, as well as the rest of Chris Regan."

Cochran was accused of helping her now-deceased husband Jason Cochran kill, dismember and hide the remains of Regan. By "working in concert" with Jason, as Powell put it, to murder Regan, the two were "bonded in blood."

"They are both monsters; her words, not mine," Powell said. "Ladies and gentlemen, the defendants in this matter were bonded in blood, Chris Regan was bathed in it and, at this time, I'm asking you to wash away the blood and find the defendant guilty of all counts."

A little before noon, the defense concluded their closing arguments in the case of the now convicted murderer. Defense Attorney Michael Scholke used the inconsistencies and lies told by his client to authorities to plead his case. He told jurors that those very lies are the precise reasons why Cochran should not be found guilty.

"A liar is a liar," Scholke told jurors. "Anything that Ms. Cochran tells you should be looked with skepticism and great scrutiny. And, I think if you do that, looking here, you'll see that the only evidence that The People have to get to their burden is the word of Ms. Cochran, no other evidence."

Scholke continued by saying that, given the lack of evidence, doubt could even be cast on whether Regan was ever even shot in Iron County.

"Is there any evidence, scientific evidence, that this crime...that Mr. Regan was even shot in this county? Just Kelly's word," Scholke said.

The Judge read the jury their rules for deliberating and coming to a verdict. And after deliberating for just under three hours, the prosecution got the verdict they've been waiting to hear for over two years now: guilty on all counts in the death of 53-year-old Christopher Regan of Iron River.

Cochran was found guilty on all five counts, which include first degree murder, conspiracy to commit dead bodies-disinterment and mutilation, concealing the death of an individual, larceny in a building and lying to a peace officer.

Her sentencing is scheduled for May 10. Cochran also faces charges in the death of Jason Cochran in Indiana.