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

[Tabirey]

Tabirey, thank you for all the great info on your sighting.

I have added this to the Case Map and quoted your post from WS - I do hope that this is okay? Just thought it's sort of a central point for all potential and confirmed information

Perfect! You are more than welcome to! Whatever helps to find Cole!

 

[Tabirey]

Cheers to insomnia and horrible sleep patterns! I can't stop thinking about this case! So, with another cup of coffee, I'm trying to organize my thoughts :

So, early on in this case, before my possible sighting and the report from BPD saying he was seen on video in Benson, I seriously was thinking his companions harmed him elsewhere and staged everything in Benson.

Now, my possible theory is this :
When Cole and whichever companion are seen on video in the bank parking lot, I am now wondering if they were trying to pressure Cole into withdrawing money to buy drugs from the dealer that's mentioned. Possibly, they threatened him. Cole may have fled due to this, hidden out (we have many abandoned houses and buildings ) and waited for things to die down and then got the heck out of dodge. He could be hiding out in fear of these people or in fear of being in trouble or both.
I'm hoping beyond hope this is the case. I can't stomach the alternative that keeps popping into my sleep deprived brain.

 

[scaredtopost]

Surprised his case is not getting more attention. He looks like a sweet soul. I hope he's found soon.
JMO, MOO, etc

 

[BloodHoundSleuther]

Tabirey, thank you for all the great info on your sighting.

I have added this to the Case Map and quoted your post from WS - I do hope that this is okay? Just thought it's sort of a central point for all potential and confirmed information

Thank you so much keptrova_x for updating the case map! It looks great! A big thank you to Tabirey as well for the information! Coates looks like such a small town, mostly residential with a main drag running right through it! I wonder if law enforcement went over any video surveillance from stores or businesses in Coates NC?

 

[BloodHoundSleuther]

Based on the sighting in Coates NC, I shared the link for Cole's flyer from Missing Pieces Network with many news stations in the Harnett County NC area. I'm hoping others may have seen him as well!

 

[Tabirey]

Had a longgg day yesterday, but was able to get some pics like I hoped!
I do want to correct something though. ..the spelling of the town, otherwise you will pull the wrong one! It's Coats not Coates!
Anyway, I tried to upload these pics in a post, but either my phone is just Internet challenged or just hates me because it kept refusing to embed, so I created a photobucket. Unfortunately, it's my first time using the site and I can't figure out how to put the pics in order, so they're backwards! So, start with the last pic at the city limit and that's the way we were traveling through. The pic of the auto sales lot is approximately where we saw the young man. If this link doesn't work, please let me know, I'll try something else.

Bloodslueth, you're right, Coats is extremely small town. Around 2000 people or so. The town itself is pretty residential with 4 gas stations, a Hardee's, a grocery store, dollar general, 2 auto parts stores and some misc small businesses. Going outward from town are scattered houses, farms, fields and woods until you get to the next towns.

http://s1152.photobucket.com/user/Tabitha_Ann_Reynolds/library/Mobile Uploads?sort=3&src=pb&page=1

 

[BloodHoundSleuther]

Had a longgg day yesterday, but was able to get some pics like I hoped!
I do want to correct something though. ..the spelling of the town, otherwise you will pull the wrong one! It's Coats not Coates!
Anyway, I tried to upload these pics in a post, but either my phone is just Internet challenged or just hates me because it kept refusing to embed, so I created a photobucket. Unfortunately, it's my first time using the site and I can't figure out how to put the pics in order, so they're backwards! So, start with the last pic at the city limit and that's the way we were traveling through. The pic of the auto sales lot is approximately where we saw the young man. If this link doesn't work, please let me know, I'll try something else.

Bloodslueth, you're right, Coats is extremely small town. Around 2000 people or so. The town itself is pretty residential with 4 gas stations, a Hardee's, a grocery store, dollar general, 2 auto parts stores and some misc small businesses. Going outward from town are scattered houses, farms, fields and woods until you get to the next towns.

http://s1152.photobucket.com/user/Tabitha_Ann_Reynolds/library/Mobile Uploads?sort=3&src=pb&page=1

Thanks so much for the pictures Tabirey! I did take a look around on Google Earth at the town, it reminds me of where I live. I can only imagine Cole would stand out like a sore thumb in such a small place! Sorry, for the spelling error, I was exhausted last night!

 

[Tabirey]

Thanks so much for the pictures Tabirey! I did take a look around on Google Earth at the town, it reminds me of where I live. I can only imagine Cole would stand out like a sore thumb in such a small place! Sorry, for the spelling error, I was exhausted last night!

I know exhaustion way too well lol that's why coffee is my best friend!
Honestly, the only reason he stuck out to us was the way he looked into the car. Otherwise, we probably wouldn't have even noticed him. People walk around the town all of the time.

 

[LisaWL7TR]

I know exhaustion way too well lol that's why coffee is my best friend!
Honestly, the only reason he stuck out to us was the way he looked into the car. Otherwise, we probably wouldn't have even noticed him. People walk around the town all of the time.

I agree. A boy missing a long while back was going between houses in the military neighbkrhood. I saw him as I was closing my blinds and watched him lookdown the street. He then ran and hid behind a house. I then looked to see what he saw and it was a girl walking. I knew it was Kevin and reported the next day with a neighbor that saw what I did. My only thoughts were it could possibly be his sister.

I wonder if you drive a vehicle similar to someone's that Cole may know?

 

[BloodHoundSleuther]

Off topic... Is there a military base near Coats? Near Fayatville perhaps? Just thinking outside the box. Could Cole know someone there?

 

[Tabirey]

Off topic... Is there a military base near Coats? Near Fayatville perhaps? Just thinking outside the box. Could Cole know someone there?

Fort Bragg/Pope AFB are here. Fayetteville surrounds it.

 

[LisaWL7TR]

Fort Bragg/Pope AFB are here. Fayetteville surrounds it.

Also Seymour Johnson in Goldsboro.

 

[Tabirey]

Also Seymour Johnson in Goldsboro.

I always forget about Seymour! I shouldn't, considering our house is on the flight path between the bases and the carrier /jump planes go over us quite a bit! LOL

 

[LisaWL7TR]

I always forget about Seymour! I shouldn't, considering our house is on the flight path between the bases and the carrier /jump planes go over us quite a bit! LOL

I was there 2006-2011 and then came back in 2012

 

[Tabirey]

Bumpity bump Cole! Someone, somewhere has the answers!

 

[BloodHoundSleuther]

http://wncn.com/2017/02/08/benson-community-plans-weekend-search-for-cole-thomas/

 

[steelman]

By early last month, law enforcement said more than two dozen searches for Thomas had been conducted.

Those searches include areas in Benson town limits and areas outside the town.

Search warrants obtained last month reveal that Thomas was in town to “do a big drug deal” with friends.

According to warrants, the man further explained to Christopher Thomas that once the three made it to their destination in North Carolina, “the person they intended to do the drug deal with made them take off their clothes” to prove they weren’t wearing a wire. That caused Cole Thomas to “flip out.”

The warrant states that no further information was provided to explain what happened to Cole Thomas next.

http://wncn.com/2017/02/08/benson-community-plans-weekend-search-for-cole-thomas/


My knee-jerk reaction to the highlighted part was to immediately suspect that maybe he was wearing a wire. That doesn't really fit though, because LE would have been close-by when the deal was going down.

So.............his reaction to being asked to undress was enough to create a huge amount of suspicion on the part of the drug dealers. I would imagine they immediately suspected he was a snitch, based on nothing more than that. You don't have to have much of an imagination to figure out what happened to this guy. The friends he was with were sworn to secrecy to keep their mouths shut, or they would be next. This has all the earmarks of "a drug deal gone bad". Oh........and I don't think his so-called friends are being completely honest about what went down either.

 

[Tabirey]

http://wncn.com/2017/02/08/benson-community-plans-weekend-search-for-cole-thomas/


My knee-jerk reaction to the highlighted part was to immediately suspect that maybe he was wearing a wire. That doesn't really fit though, because LE would have been close-by when the deal was going down.

So.............his reaction to being asked to undress was enough to create a huge amount of suspicion on the part of the drug dealers. I would imagine they immediately suspected he was a snitch, based on nothing more than that. You don't have to have much of an imagination to figure out what happened to this guy. The friends he was with were sworn to secrecy to keep their mouths shut, or they would be next. This has all the earmarks of "a drug deal gone bad". Oh........and I don't think his so-called friends are being completely honest about what went down either.

Every time I read that it just sounds off. IMO, if that scenario even happened, I don't think Cole had any clue about the whole thing ahead of time.
IF that's true, IMO his associates pressured him into going to the bank and he was like he** No! And took off. I think and hope that Cole is hiding out because he's afraid of these guys. I want to believe that if they were locked up that Cole would surface.

 

[LisaWL7TR]

http://wncn.com/2017/02/08/benson-community-plans-weekend-search-for-cole-thomas/


My knee-jerk reaction to the highlighted part was to immediately suspect that maybe he was wearing a wire. That doesn't really fit though, because LE would have been close-by when the deal was going down.

So.............his reaction to being asked to undress was enough to create a huge amount of suspicion on the part of the drug dealers. I would imagine they immediately suspected he was a snitch, based on nothing more than that. You don't have to have much of an imagination to figure out what happened to this guy. The friends he was with were sworn to secrecy to keep their mouths shut, or they would be next. This has all the earmarks of "a drug deal gone bad". Oh........and I don't think his so-called friends are being completely honest about what went down either.

That is a possibility and one I haven't read or thought of.

I have a hard time referring to the two that were with Cole as friends though. Acquaintances or coworkers, maybe.


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[OkieGranny]

http://wncn.com/2017/02/11/group-conducts-search-in-benson-for-missing-man/

People gathered in Benson Saturday morning to continue the search for Cole Thomas, who has been missing for nearly three months...

“They just want to help find my son. They want answers (the) same way I want answers. They’re just trying to help, man. There’s good people and I appreciate them. I just want to find my son,” said Christopher Thomas.