BECKLEY, WV (LOOTPRESS) – Natalie Cochran has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole after a jury declined to grant her mercy in the murder of her late husband, Michael Cochran.
The decision comes just days after Cochran, a former pharmacist, was convicted of first-degree murder in Michael’s 2019 death. The jury deliberated swiftly before finding her guilty, and after hearing emotional testimony from family and friends on both sides, they chose not to offer her the chance for parole.
Michael’s family and prosecutors argued that Cochran was a manipulative fraudster who continued running a multi-million dollar Ponzi scheme, even as her husband lay dying. The scheme, which defrauded investors—including Michael’s own parents—led to Cochran’s earlier federal conviction for wire fraud. She is already serving an 11-year sentence for financial crimes.
During the trial, Cochran’s defense suggested that Michael’s use of steroids and unregulated supplements may have played a role in his death, but the jury rejected that claim. Instead, prosecutors painted a picture of a woman who was willing to kill to maintain her financial scheme.
With the jury’s decision, Cochran will spend the rest of her life behind bars with no chance of release.
