Natalie P. Cochran, 39, currently an inmate at the Federal Correctional Institution Hazelton in Bruceton Mills, WV, has been indicted for first degree premeditated murder in the 2019 death of her husband.
According to a press release from Raleigh County Prosecuting Attorney Benjamin Hatfield, Natalie Cochran, formerly of Daniels, was indicted during the November special session of the Raleigh County Grand Jury following a years long investigation into the February 11, 2019, death of Michael Cochran, 38, of Daniels. The investigation was conducted by West Virginia State Police Lieutenant Tim Bledsoe and Investigator Robert Hinzman.
Natalie Cochran, a former pharmacist, was sentenced back on March 18, 2021, to 135 months in federal prison on counts of wire fraud and money laundering in a multi-million dollar Ponzi scheme involving two Beckley business that she owned—Technology Management Solutions (TMS) and Tactical Solutions Group (TSG), according to court documents.
From June 2017-August 2019, Cochran persuaded at least 11 people to invest $2.5 million into her alleged government contract businesses, documents state. Instead of investing the money, she placed it into her personal account and purchased real estate, jewelry, a 1965 Shelby Cobra and other personal items. She would use a portion of money received from new investors to pay early investors a return, thereby giving them a sense of trust that her businesses were making money.
She pleaded guilty before United States District Judge Frank W. Volk to fraud and money laundering on September 21, 2020. As part of her plea agreement, Cochran was also ordered to pay $2,567,838.53 in restitution to the victims of her Ponzi scheme.
Cochran will now appear before a Raleigh County Circuit Court Judge to face her murder charge.
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