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

[LisaWL7TR]

Please forgive me if these have been posted.

http://wncn.com/2017/01/03/more-tha...fficials-take-part-in-search-for-cole-thomas/

http://www.wral.com/florida-man-searches-for-missing-son-in-benson/16394429/

From the first link this is also new to me along with what BlkMtnGirl mentioned

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

Sorry no bold on phone but I have ●

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[Tabirey]

http://www.wral.com/florida-man-searches-for-missing-son-in-benson/16394429/

I don't understand why LE has asked residents to look around their properties but won't allow CUE to search. ..it boggles my mind!

 

[vanwr]

http://wncn.com/2016/12/21/warrants...-in-benson-was-in-town-to-do-a-big-meth-deal/

One friend told investigators that he did in fact travel from Minnesota to North Carolina with Cole Thomas and the other friend to take part in a drug deal. The man said that the purpose of the trip was to purchase methamphetamine from an associate.

Warrants state that the friend told investigators that as they were driving back from where they bought the meth, Cole Thomas, who was driving, “began to get paranoid and began to drive erratically” before coming to a stop in Benson and running out of the car.

The other friend who took part in the drug deal corroborated the story of the drug deal and voluntarily gave investigators the number of the man he purchased the meth from. The man explained that shortly after the drug deal went down, Cole Thomas disappeared.

The warrants seek permission to search three phone numbers believed to be involved in the case – those of the two friends in the car with Cole Thomas and the man who sold them the drugs.

I think Cole is a great person, that got caught up in a bad situation. I truly hope he's found.

 

[Skigirl]

He must be:
1. In hiding, or
2. Whacked out on a bender (could be in combo with №1), or
3. Killed and hidden by someone involved with the drug deal
Or???
MOO

I think he could be dead but not murdered. He could have died from a combination of exposure and the effects of the drug(s) while hiding in the woods due to his paranoid state. I only say that because this case is SO close to another one in Connecticut in 2008.

http://www.websleuths.com/forums/sh...-28-Enfield-20-April-2008&highlight=Jody+King

 

[BloodHoundSleuther]

http://wncn.com/2016/12/21/warrants...-in-benson-was-in-town-to-do-a-big-meth-deal/

One friend told investigators that he did in fact travel from Minnesota to North Carolina with Cole Thomas and the other friend to take part in a drug deal. The man said that the purpose of the trip was to purchase methamphetamine from an associate.

Warrants state that the friend told investigators that as they were driving back from where they bought the meth, Cole Thomas, who was driving, “began to get paranoid and began to drive erratically” before coming to a stop in Benson and running out of the car.

The other friend who took part in the drug deal corroborated the story of the drug deal and voluntarily gave investigators the number of the man he purchased the meth from. The man explained that shortly after the drug deal went down, Cole Thomas disappeared.

The warrants seek permission to search three phone numbers believed to be involved in the case – those of the two friends in the car with Cole Thomas and the man who sold them the drugs.

I think Cole is a great person, that got caught up in a bad situation. I truly hope he's found.

Early reports stated they were heading to Durham. I would love to know where this drug deal went down? I don't think the possibility of overdose has been brought up yet. I'm wondering if this is what happend and Cole was disposed of. The story about Cole jumping out of the car and running away just seems too far fetched! Considering Benson is a small town coupled with the fact that a good deal of time has passed since Cole went missing, if he was truly in Benson, he would have been seen by someone by now?

 

[NCJ]

I am a Benson resident. When I was on the way home from an appointment yesterday I went through Benson and noticed all kinds of LEO vehicles parked and officers walking. Apparently a search was underway, but the family wasn't notified at all. I sent Chris Thomas, Cole's father, a message on facebook with pictures and he had no clue any it was going on. He was thankful I alerted him. I also saw a post on the "Find Cole Thomas" facebook page from his grandmother stating that one of Cole's closest friends claimed to know what happened to him but won't release any info. Why can't police interrogate him and why were the 2 accomplices he was traveling with allowed to go back to Minnesota? I feel they have the key to what is going on and I don't believe he is in Benson. I believe he was killed and dumped somewhere between Mount Olive, NC and Benson, NC.

 

[AmandaSkis]

I'm curious why they needed to drive all the way to North Carolina from Minnesota to buy meth. Yes, the article says they were buying it from an associate, but could they really not find it any closer??

 

[missgulfsouth]

If all of my years on WS have taught me anything, it's this:

If you choose to take drugs, it's only a matter of time before you're either a perp or a victim. The VAST majority of cases and crimes involve drugs in some way, shape or form.

JUST SAY NO ... to ALL OF IT ... worked for me.

 

[Hexe]

If these dudes are methheads I will not believe anything they say without ironclad proof.

Wysłane z mojego LG-K120 przy użyciu Tapatalka

 

[stormymama]

First timer here from NC.

Agree with the post about getting meth in NC. Why here? It's looking to me more and more like Cole got mixed up with the wrong crowd because he does not have the physical characteristics of a known meth-head.

 

[tkdunn]

Referring to their reason for being in nc as a big drug deal makes me think the intention was to buy the meth to sell in MN. Also the dealer being skeptical enough to make sure they weren't wearing a wire doesn't seem like they were just picking up enough to use themselves. It's also a known practice of dealers who don't trust the buyer to insist they use some of the product in their presence. If Christopher wasn't a user and it was his first high on meth I can't even imagine the effect it'd have on him. Meth is truly a nasty drug, a relative of mine is a recovering addict. Even after being off meth for a couple years the paranoia is still present. The increase of rage and physical strength with a meth high is absolutely terrifying.

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[missgulfsouth]

Referring to their reason for being in nc as a big drug deal makes me think the intention was to buy the meth to sell in MN. Also the dealer being skeptical enough to make sure they weren't wearing a wire doesn't seem like they were just picking up enough to use themselves. It's also a known practice of dealers who don't trust the buyer to insist they use some of the product in their presence. If Christopher wasn't a user and it was his first high on meth I can't even imagine the effect it'd have on him. Meth is truly a nasty drug, a relative of mine is a recovering addict. Even after being off meth for a couple years the paranoia is still present. The increase of rage and physical strength with a meth high is absolutely terrifying.

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Goodness gracious, I will never understand.

 

[LisaWL7TR]

Referring to their reason for being in nc as a big drug deal makes me think the intention was to buy the meth to sell in MN. Also the dealer being skeptical enough to make sure they weren't wearing a wire doesn't seem like they were just picking up enough to use themselves. It's also a known practice of dealers who don't trust the buyer to insist they use some of the product in their presence. If Christopher wasn't a user and it was his first high on meth I can't even imagine the effect it'd have on him. Meth is truly a nasty drug, a relative of mine is a recovering addict. Even after being off meth for a couple years the paranoia is still present. The increase of rage and physical strength with a meth high is absolutely terrifying.

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So do you think he is possibly still just missing or... something else?

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[missgulfsouth]

I think either the "friends" killed him somewhere before Benson, or it really did happen the way they said, he ran off in a drug induced state and died.

 

[BloodHoundSleuther]

I actually did a Google search on Meth overdose. If someone isn't a regular user, the side effects can range from severe paranoia to heart attack. I just have a feeling that the two accomplice's are covering something up.

 

[LisaWL7TR]

I think either the "friends" killed him somewhere before Benson, or it really did happen the way they said, he ran off in a drug induced state and died.

What I don't get is the two different ran offs...(I know poorly worded) one saying while driving and the other while stripping for the seller...
UNLESS this happened around the same time in the car. Hmmm...and one story was initially chose over the other in the beginning.

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[tkdunn]

So do you think he is possibly still just missing or... something else?

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At this point I don't think there's much chance at all of finding him alive. I believe it's entirely possible he was high on meth and the paranoia was too much for him. Think about the pressure he'd be under - he's driving a vehicle under the influence in a town he's unfamiliar with. He is probably still shaken from the drug deal and now he's in possession of a large amount of meth. NC to MN is a long drive. I'm not high and I'd probably jump out of that vehicle the first chance I got.

I think that had the friends been upfront with police to begin with he could have possibly survived. With meth, your mind and body never shut off. You don't get tired. He likely would've traveled a great distance assuming he didn't get injured. In this scenario unless he's a skilled survivalist who can live off the land he would have died of hunger or dehydration by now.

I just don't see any options other than he was murdered or got lost and died. If he wasn't high and took off he likely would have ran through populated areas until he felt he could call for help getting home.

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[BloodHoundSleuther]

What I don't get is the two different ran offs...(I know poorly worded) one saying while driving and the other while stripping for the seller...
UNLESS this happened around the same time in the car. Hmmm...and one story was initially chose over the other in the beginning.

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I agree with you, the details are not adding up for me either. If Cole fled from the car on foot, did he take the car keys with him? Is this why the accomplices were sitting in the car when discovered by police? How would the drug dealer know Cole dissapeared shortly after the drug deal? Did the accomplices call or notify the dealer somehow?

 

[tkdunn]

Goodness gracious, I will never understand.

Me either. She is my sister in law. When I was about 6 months pregnant we were on the way to her grandmother's funeral. She was high which was causing an argument between her, her mom, and her sister. She kept trying to bring me into the argument and they told her to leave me alone because I didn't need the stress. This caused her to unbuckle her seat belt and while we're going 70 MPH she tries to jump out. There were 4 other lanes of traffic. Had my mother in law not swerved and ran up onto the median we would all be dead.

She did this 2 more times during this same car ride. Only she waited until we were stopped at a light. The last time she just took off. Why? Because she was convinced her phone was bugged, that her mom did it, and she urgently needed to alert the police. She also insisted on going to get a new phone right that second. After going to sprint and looking insane she ran off for hours. Eventually some guy on a motorcycle dropped her off because he was afraid of what would happen to her.

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[LisaWL7TR]

I agree with you, the details are not adding up for me either. If Cole fled from the car on foot, did he take the car keys with him? Is this why the accomplices were sitting in the car when discovered by police? How would the drug dealer know Cole dissapeared shortly after the drug deal? Did the accomplices call or notify the dealer somehow?

Didn't think about him having the keys in hand when he fled. The first I remember reading was they were looking for him and now reading they were sitting in the car?

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