Found Deceased MI - Patrick 'Kegan' Cochrane, MSU student, Lansing, 9 April 2016

DNA Solves
DNA Solves
DNA Solves

New Posts

I actually don't feel that he intended to go off grid....he made it pretty clear that he was unable to provide for his needs and hates to work.

While he insisted in his letters that he was placing no blame, I feel he is trying to punish the people he sent the letters to. He made them very public and even asked his friend to make sure that his website stayed up,,,and to put it back up if that happened. He also made efforts to be sure that copies of the letters would be available forever. Posting discussion of things that happened in the past with the letter recipients definitely crossed the boundary of privacy!

I found it very curious that he strongly advised family members to lie to their children and pretend that he never existed. Any thoughts about this. Is this common in people who suicide?

I hope he is at peace in death...he certainly wasn't in life.

One more thing...I certainly hope that no one lets the grandmother read her letter!
 
AC's Grandma said:
Reading what he wrote reminded me of my son because of his depression, Asperger's, and narcissism. I know that's why his book and the letters he wrote have had such an effect on me. Because of my son's issues with not being able to show emotion as well as his beliefs that he is ALWAYS right, these are letters and a book he could have easily written. He's extremely intelligent but doesn't want to, or can't, grasp that he isn't always correct. He also has never had more than a couple of friends. He is a loner, he can't make friends, those close to him struggle to deal with his issues. He has been talking about wanting to die for several years because he feels like he has no one in his life. He's had only one short relationship with a girl and that ended within a 2 months. I understand to a point but it's very stressful on everyone and terrible to have to live through and knowing how much I wish I could make it better, but I can't. He has refused his entire life to get mental health treatment whether it be meds or therapy. They just don't work is his response.
Click to expand...

I thought the same thing about Aspergers, but didnt want to say it in the same post as Eliott Rodgers' name. Kegan is very much like my own brother, except my brother has never had a romantic relationship that I'm aware of. He is in his 30's.
 
AC's Grandma said:
Reading what he wrote reminded me of my son because of his depression, Asperger's, and narcissism. I know that's why his book and the letters he wrote have had such an effect on me. Because of my son's issues with not being able to show emotion as well as his beliefs that he is ALWAYS right, these are letters and a book he could have easily written. He's extremely intelligent but doesn't want to, or can't, grasp that he isn't always correct. He also has never had more than a couple of friends. He is a loner, he can't make friends, those close to him struggle to deal with his issues. He has been talking about wanting to die for several years because he feels like he has no one in his life. He's had only one short relationship with a girl and that ended within a 2 months. I understand to a point but it's very stressful on everyone and terrible to have to live through and knowing how much I wish I could make it better, but I can't. He has refused his entire life to get mental health treatment whether it be meds or therapy. They just don't work is his response.
Click to expand...

Thank you so much for sharing, and I am so sorry your son is refusing to get help. I am experiencing a similar situation with my 13-year-old right now, and it is so very difficult. I'm just doing everything I can to try to help her before she turns 18 :(. ***Hugs***
 
AC's Grandma said:
I have so much to say after reading a couple of chapters in his book and his letters, but I can't even begin to put all my thoughts and feelings into words. As someone who has suffered from depression for more than 20 years and being suicidal three times, as recently as this past month...I understand the pain that someone who is depressed and suicidal feels.
I'm sorry if what I say offends anyone here, but he has no guilt and no conscience for anyone. He is a mean and vile person. I could never imagine some of the things that were written in his "book" or the "goodbye" letters to his family, which were callous, hurtful, cruel and selfish, would help anyone come to terms with his suicide or their grief.
As someone earlier stated, maybe this is his thesis- if it is, I wouldn't be able to begin to express my anger at him. I would put him in the category of some of the worst offenders we read about on this site and what they've done to others.
I don't think I've read something and felt this way about anything or anyone before that has affected me as much as this has.
Click to expand...

inmyhumbleopinion said:
(snipped) I am not a clinician, but I, too, am of the opinion that there is a comorbid psychiatric disorder involved here, and in addition to the ones you mentioned, I believe it could be some sort of personality disorder.

I have been living with depression for a good part of the last 30 years, with multiple hospitalizations due to suicidal ideation, and other than his self-loathing, I am having a very hard time relating to Kegan. Of course, everyone is different, and I can only speak for myself, but I have spent countless hours in group therapy, as well as just talking to others diagnosed with depression in in-patient settings, and at least in my experience, it is extremely uncommon for people to be so critical of family and friends the way Kegan is in his letters.

He appears to really struggle with relinquishing control, and I'm afraid perhaps in the past, that might have prevented him from receiving the help he so clearly and desperately needs. I somehow have a feeling that he is still around, and really hope that he gets some quality care.
Click to expand...

First off, my thoughts and prayers go out to Kegan's family and friends. I hope you can find peace.

Thanks AC's Grandma and inmyhumbleopinion for putting some of my thoughts into words. I just skimmed through his book and the letters and I'm feeling very "unsettled", with a feeling that is hard to describe. I have also struggled with depression for close to 30 years. This is something way beyond depression, he is cruel, narcissistic, controlling, manipulative, grandiose, etc. (I might go as far as saying evil.) Reading his words sent a shiver down my spine. As AC's G said - I would put him in the category of some of the worst offenders we read about on this site and what they've done to others.

In my personal experience, people with depression tend to suffer in silence. They don't go off and write scathing letters to their loved ones and 300+ page manifestos. Most of the sufferers I know don't cry often, as he seems to do. We tend to be just be numb, shut off, unable to feel or care or make ourselves get out of bed in the morning.

What a sad, sad story and my heart goes out to all that love him and have been hurt by this.

wow, just wow... :(
 
When I first read on this thread I decided that I wouldn't follow. I made what I thought was a snap judgement that Kegan was a cruel self centered man. Now after reading some of the recent posts from some who did read, reason and research that came up with the same theory maybe I wasn't wrong.

However, although I've scanned through the posts this afternoon I can't determine if his body has been found. Some posters are praying for Kegan's family, some are using the past tense when referring to him but I can't find anything about his body being found. Could someone share please?

TIA
 
I don't feel any of this is genuine.

I read some of his book and I honestly feel he is depressed but he wants to lash out at everyone more. His purpose of this was not to help society by writing his thoughts, he wanted to say disturbing things that will haunt his family for years.

I believe you can clearly see his narcissism, (did he speak 16 languages, I doubt it, do I think he took a philosophy 101 class and suddenly thought he was a philosopher? Yes),

I think he is having a tough time grasping his sexuality and if things are not handed to him on a platter he curses the world.

I battled depression, most people who truly feel how he speaks, dont want to burden the family with a self obsessed manifesto detailing his methods.

I would not be surprised if this boy is just hiding relishing in how upset he made everyone. Loving the attention he never got.

I do hope thats the case but you never know
 
There has been no information about him being found. As far as MSM, he is still missing.
 
As with others who have posted here about having depression, I know as someone who has battled it for 20+ years that I would never send letters like he did to family and friends who he claims to love. That is just adding to the pain they are already dealing with. If I ever again become suicidal and get to the point where I am going to take my life and not seek mental health- I pray everyday that doesn't happen; I know if I were to write suicide notes, they would be to express my love and apologies for what I am putting my family and friends through.. not airing their dirty laundry and point blame at everyone.
 
I read the letter to Kegan's mother and really don't want to read more. Is there any mention of Kegan's age? I realize he is/was a senior, but might he have graduated high school early due to his obvious intellectual precocity? Perhaps Kegan started school early, skipped Kindergarten, skipped a grade or two because he was so far ahead of his average classmates. Perhaps Kegan was regarded from an early age as "the little professor" and was expected to achieve at an extraordinary level in his academic pursuits. Many parents of intellectually superior children fail to recognize that, while their child may be quite capable of advanced academic challenges at any early age, this doesn't necessarily mean that they have the emotional or social maturity to handle their giftedness. I wonder if Kegan felt isolated with his superior intellect and unable to connect with others when he was so far above the level of his chronological peers. :moo:
 
MSU student Kegan Cochrane still missing


Posts that went up on Cochrane's Facebook page Saturday afternoon asked loved ones to read sections of a book he wrote called "A Most Reasonable Death." A link to the book's website also has good-bye and thank-you letters addressed to family members and friends.

Those postings were set to publish after he went missing over the weekend, according to police. MSU's investigation remains open and includes resources from the Digital Forensics and Cyber Crimes Unit as well as the Behavioral Threat Assessment Team.

http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/...tudent-kegan-cochrane-still-missing/82893704/
 
BetteDavisEyes said:
I read the letter to Kegan's mother and really don't want to read more. Is there any mention of Kegan's age? I realize he is/was a senior, but might he have graduated high school early due to his obvious intellectual precocity? Perhaps Kegan started school early, skipped Kindergarten, skipped a grade or two because he was so far ahead of his average classmates. Perhaps Kegan was regarded from an early age as "the little professor" and was expected to achieve at an extraordinary level in his academic pursuits. Many parents of intellectually superior children fail to recognize that, while their child may be quite capable of advanced academic challenges at any early age, this doesn't necessarily mean that they have the emotional or social maturity to handle their giftedness. I wonder if Kegan felt isolated with his superior intellect and unable to connect with others when he was so far above the level of his chronological peers. :moo:
Click to expand...

His birthday is on the poster posted below. He was born in May 1994, so he is 21, almost 22. In his writings he mentions that he did not skip any grades, even though some of the schools he attended wanted him to. He also mentions something about 6 years of college. It looks like he graduated high school in 2012, so maybe he was planning to attend college for two more years.
 
ClaireNC said:
I don't think his age has been published. In his writings he mentions that he did not skip any grades, even though some of the schools he attended wanted him to. He also mentions something about 6 years of college. It looks like he graduated high school in 2012, so maybe he was planning to attend college for two more years.
Click to expand...


In chapter 10, (paraphrasing) he wanted to end his life before finals and having to work on his thesis.
 
Maroon10 said:
I don't feel any of this is genuine.

I read some of his book and I honestly feel he is depressed but he wants to lash out at everyone more. His purpose of this was not to help society by writing his thoughts, he wanted to say disturbing things that will haunt his family for years.

I believe you can clearly see his narcissism, (did he speak 16 languages, I doubt it, do I think he took a philosophy 101 class and suddenly thought he was a philosopher? Yes),

I think he is having a tough time grasping his sexuality and if things are not handed to him on a platter he curses the world.

I battled depression, most people who truly feel how he speaks, dont want to burden the family with a self obsessed manifesto detailing his methods.

I would not be surprised if this boy is just hiding relishing in how upset he made everyone. Loving the attention he never got.

I do hope thats the case but you never know
Click to expand...
Devil's advocate here:

http://www.laramieboomerang.com/new...884-593e-5383-896c-4ae6b7646428.html?mode=jqm

He said he can speak 10 languages — English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, German, Italian, Japanese, Chinese, Tagalog and Greek — all of which he started studying several years ago. His favorites are Japanese, French and Italian.

“I do enjoy speaking all of them. It’s fairly fun,” he said.

Cochrane works as a language tutor online, teaching four languages. His mother, Cheryl Kilgore, will be traveling to Kuwait soon, so he’s going to study up on Arabic and teach her.
Click to expand...

He was awarded a full scholarship, including living expenses in 2012. One does not receive a scholarship like this just for showing up. If he was speaking 10 languages in 2012, I believe he could have added a few more to his repertoire in the last 4 years.

Given that ASD has been brought up here, i believe it's noteworthy to mention that some people on the spectrum are savants, showing incredible aptitude in one or a few areas while having equally noticeable deficits in other areas. We don't know for a fact that Kegan is on the spectrum (right?), so this is speculation based on my experience with it and the wealth of insight he has left us to examine. Having extraordinary capabilities in the field of foreign language is not very unbelievable to me in this case.

JMO.

ETA:
Asperger’s Disorder and Savant Syndrome
https://www.wisconsinmedicalsociety...icles/aspergers-disorder-and-savant-syndrome/
 
Sparky said:
In chapter 10, (paraphrasing) he wanted to end his life before finals and having to work on his thesis.
Click to expand...

Thanks Sparky, I know I had seen something about a thesis. His birthday is on the poster you just posted, he is 21, going on 22. He graduated high school in 2012, so he has only been in college for 4 years. I wonder if he did a combined undergraduate/graduate degree, so he's graduating with a masters in 4 years? Or maybe MSU's Honors College requires undergraduates to write a thesis?
 
Sorry everyone but I couldn't even get through chapter 10. I find him a bit off kilter and I also must say if he took his own life I'm sorry to his friends and family but glad he didn't kill anyone else as some of his writings reminds me of someone whom will convince themselves that they needed to take other's. JMO nothing more
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

DNASolves

Who is Fairfield County Jane Doe (1993)?

Members online

... and 75 more.
Total: 242 (members: 76, guests: 166)

Online statistics

Members online
76
Guests online
166
Total visitors
242
Totals may include hidden visitors.

Forum statistics

Threads
609,410
Messages
18,253,687
Members
234,649
Latest member
sharag
Back
Top