GUILTY MS - Donna Cochran, 44, found murdered, Carthage, 11 Aug 2010

[anneoakley63]

This is the first time I've posted a story like this and I hope I've done it correctly. I know this family and it's heartbreaking that this happened in my small hometown.

From WLBT news in Jackson, Ms.

" LEAKE COUNTY, MS (WLBT) - A Leake County woman has been murdered in what appears to have been a robbery.
It happened shortly after sunset Wednesday night on Highway 488 in the Free Trade community southeast of Carthage.
Sheriff Greg Waggoner says Donna Cochran, 44, was found dead at her small tack shop next to her home. He says several shell casings were found nearby.
Waggoner says the victim's father-in-law found her body this morning after her husband, who was out of town, could not reach her.
The sheriff is asking anyone who may have seen something out of the ordinary in that area to call his office at (601) 267-7361 "

Story at link: http://www.wlbt.com/Global/story.asp?S=12971939

 

[SunnieRN]

God bless her family and prayers for swift justice to find and punish this murderer.

 

[grayjay]

Interesting. On the surface, I would see none of that, but there's a comment at the link about it, too. There must be much more to the story.

 

[nervous_nellie]

This is the first time I've posted a story like this and I hope I've done it correctly. I know this family and it's heartbreaking that this happened in my small hometown.

From WLBT news in Jackson, Ms.

" LEAKE COUNTY, MS (WLBT) - A Leake County woman has been murdered in what appears to have been a robbery.
It happened shortly after sunset Wednesday night on Highway 488 in the Free Trade community southeast of Carthage.
Sheriff Greg Waggoner says Donna Cochran, 44, was found dead at her small tack shop next to her home. He says several shell casings were found nearby.
Waggoner says the victim's father-in-law found her body this morning after her husband, who was out of town, could not reach her.
The sheriff is asking anyone who may have seen something out of the ordinary in that area to call his office at (601) 267-7361 "

Story at link: http://www.wlbt.com/Global/story.asp?S=12971939

first, im so sorry that this has happened to your friend. what do you think happened? also, what is a tack shop?

 

[waltzingmatilda]

first, im so sorry that this has happened to your friend. what do you think happened? also, what is a tack shop?

Hi nellie, A tack shop sells equestrian supplies.

What a sad story. My prayers go out to the victims family.

wm

 

[nervous_nellie]

Hi nellie, A tack shop sells equestrian supplies.

What a sad story. My prayers go out to the victims family.

wm

thank-you waltzingmatilda as i had no clue what it could be. yes, very sad. senseless...

 

[TGIRecovered]

Oh Annie! I must have been half asleep last night when I posted...I didn't realize this poor lady was someone you know! I am very sorry you have lost your friend!

Are you comfortable sharing with us what you know about the family's situation? Do you think it is likely to be a random crime?

It seems to me that a tack shop would likely have less cash and more debit or credit card purchases than say, a convenience store. Why would someone choose to rob this tack store? Is it in a secluded area? Do they sell something that your average would have to kill her to get it? Why kill her unless she posed a threat...did she have a gun? ...maybe because she knew her attacker?

 

[fhc]

Investigators in Leake County said they're trying to piece together what looks like a home break-in and homicide near Carthage.

http://www.wapt.com/r/24614365/detail.html

 

[Filly]

Anne I am so sorry for this horrific loss. I am sending up paryers for this poor family.

 

[fhc]

Leake County authorities continue their investigation into a homicide in the Free Trade community. Sheriff Greg Waggoner says 44-year-old Donna Cochran's body was found inside a family-owned tack shop Thursday morning by her father-in-law. Waggoner says she had likely been dead since late Wednesday. Her husband, Mike Cochran, last saw her Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. when he left on business. Family members began searching when they noticed her missing Thursday. Waggonr says his investigators believe robbery was likely a motive. An undisclosed amount of money was missing from the business. Waggoner did not disclose the manner of death, though media sources indicate she may have been shot. He says anyone who may have witnessed any suspicious activity or has any information related to the killing should call his department at (601) 267-7361.

http://www.kicks98.com/index.php#2543

 

[anneoakley63]

I apologize for not replying sooner. Her husband was out of town when this happened. He talked to her the afternoon this happened and when he couldn't reach her, he called his elderly father to check on her. His father collapsed after he found her and was hospitalized. So far, there's no word on who could have done this nor why.

 

[anneoakley63]

Interesting. On the surface, I would see none of that, but there's a comment at the link about it, too. There must be much more to the story.

The quotes at the bottom of the story were somehow put on the wrong story. They should have been under the story about a baby that was killed. The tv station has been contacted about it.

 

[jokie7348]

I am so saddened to hear this news. Donna and Mike were students of mine in high school. This family has been touched by so much tragedy. Donna's older sister C was also shot and killed in the 1980's. Donna's younger sister is married to TM, the brother of Shondra May who was abducted and murdered in 1986 I think. She has a thread here that I have attempted to sleuth. I don't think C or Shondra's murders were ever solved. So you might want to take a look at that thread. Anyway, all of these people were students of mine and I am so saddened by the news of yet another tragedy in this family.
I am going to my grandson's horse show this morning, but I will be back later in the day. If I can help with any questions, let me know.

 

[Belinda]

I am so saddened to hear this news. Donna and Mike were students of mine in high school. This family has been touched by so much tragedy. Donna's older sister C was also shot and killed in the 1980's. Donna's younger sister is married to TM, the brother of Shondra May who was abducted and murdered in 1986 I think. She has a thread here that I have attempted to sleuth. I don't think C or Shondra's murders were ever solved. So you might want to take a look at that thread. Anyway, all of these people were students of mine and I am so saddened by the news of yet another tragedy in this family.
I am going to my grandson's horse show this morning, but I will be back later in the day. If I can help with any questions, let me know.

Does this strike anyone else as incredibly strange? That is a phenomenal number of murders in one family. What are the odds?

 

[jokie7348]

Does this strike anyone else as incredibly strange? That is a phenomenal number of murders in one family. What are the odds?

I have asked Tricia for verification as a local, but I haven't heard from her. I will say that Free Trade is a very rural community with maybe only a mom-and-pop grocery. The Cochran family has lived there as long as I can remember and I am 62 years old. I believe they had a small farm and sold tack out of a small shop. At one time the father had an electric shop in Carthage for many years. Donna was an excellent student and a modest, fine girl. I think the only boyfriend she ever had was M, who was her high school sweetheart. They married soon after graduation. They have children and young grandchildren.
There are a lot of indigent people living around that area, so it could have been a robbery. But I'm not completely satisfied with that explanation. I heard that she was shot 4 times in the head; that sounds a little suspicious, almost like overkill.
I'll update as I hear news.
I believe C, the oldest daughter was shot. Shondra was abducted, raped, murdered and her body found about 3 weeks later. Now, Donna has been shot. That leaves only C, the youngest.

 

[anneoakley63]

I have asked Tricia for verification as a local, but I haven't heard from her. I will say that Free Trade is a very rural community with maybe only a mom-and-pop grocery. The Cochran family has lived there as long as I can remember and I am 62 years old. I believe they had a small farm and sold tack out of a small shop. At one time the father had an electric shop in Carthage for many years. Donna was an excellent student and a modest, fine girl. I think the only boyfriend she ever had was M, who was her high school sweetheart. They married soon after graduation. They have children and young grandchildren.
There are a lot of indigent people living around that area, so it could have been a robbery. But I'm not completely satisfied with that explanation. I heard that she was shot 4 times in the head; that sounds a little suspicious, almost like overkill.
I'll update as I hear news.
I believe C, the oldest daughter was shot. Shondra was abducted, raped, murdered and her body found about 3 weeks later. Now, Donna has been shot. That leaves only C, the youngest.

Jokie you are correct. Free Trade is very small, very rural and everyone knows everyone. Well, when I was growing up that was the case. There have been a lot of people move into the area to work at the chicken plant and in chicken houses. Donna was a wonderful person growing up. I can't remember a single time that she intentionally tried to harm someone or hurt their feelings. She and M were the ideal couple. A lot of questions still remain about C's death. If I remember correctly, C was pregnant at the time she was shot.

I've moved away from the area, but all my family still lives there and they are keeping me updated as they hear news. I hope the Sheriff will keep this case hot. I don't want it to be another Shondra case. This is devastating to everyone who knows the family.

 

[jokie7348]

The obituary for Donna was in today's Clarion Ledger. Her funeral was today at Freeny Methodist Church at 2 o'clock.
I don't know how to link it, but if you go to www.clarionledger.com you will find it.
RIP Donna. You were a wonderful person.

 

[TGIRecovered]

Anne and jokey, thank you for keeping us up on the details of this case! I know you both must torn between the hope that no one you know is the cuplrit and the need to find who killed this poor lady!

Judging from only what I have learned as an amateur sleuth, the more details revealed in this murder, the more it appears to have been committed by someone who knew the victim well enough to need to be sure she would not survive the shooting.

I think that she knew her killer. If the motive were robbery, there would be no need to attract attention and leave behind oodles of forensic evidence by shooting her four times, all in the head...very loud, very messy, lots of blowback on the shooter. A robber would prefer to hide his face with a mask or hat/glasses or hoodie and intimidate the victim into cooperation...maybe tie and gag her.

Time of death will be interesting, once confirmed. Her husband is the most likely culprit if you go by stats. He is in the position of being closely related to two other women whose murders are unsolved, if local's info can be confirmed. I assume that he did go out of town, but unless his wherabouts at the time she was killed can be absolutely verified, he could have left town immediately after. I am always more suspicious of a spouse who just happens to have left town shortly before the other spouse is involved in some bizzare tragedy.

Can either of you locals find out if her husband traveled regularly, or if this trip was an out of the ordinary occurrance?

 

[fhc]

The video report on WAPT's news website wouldn't ever load for me, if other's had the same problem, there is a YouTube copy here

http://il.youtube.com/watch?v=aiCAM2c1k2c

I found it useful. It shows a picture of Donna & the tack shop.

 

[TGIRecovered]

The video didn't work for me so I went to the news station website.


http://www.wapt.com/video/24627442/index.html

It shows a broken window in a small barn-like outbuilding very near a home. Seems strange to me...if they broke the window to get in, why was she killed as she sat behind the desk? Wouldn't the door have been unlocked if she was there? If I heard someone break the window, I'd be out the front door lickety-split! ( ...unless I had a gun, then I'd be greeting them with lead as they tried to climb in!)