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BECKLEY, WV – A local pharmacist already imprisoned for fraud has been found guilty of murdering her husband. A Raleigh County jury convicted Natalie Cochran of first-degree murder on Wednesday.
The jury will now decide if she’s eligible for parole after 15 years. She faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.
Michael Cochran, 38, died in February 2019. Prosecutors argued Natalie Cochran poisoned him with insulin to conceal a $2 million Ponzi scheme she ran from 2017 to 2019.
Cochran was initially indicted for murder in November 2021. Prosecutors later dropped the charge to exhume Michael Cochran’s body for further forensic testing.
The new tests revealed Michael Cochran died from a non-prescribed dose of insulin. The pathologist ruled his death a homicide.
Natalie Cochran is already serving an 11-year federal sentence for defrauding investors. She posed as a government contractor and swindled millions of dollars. She used the money to purchase luxury items, including a classic car and real estate.
This case adds to a recent string of spousal poisonings across the country. Several similar cases have emerged in recent months, highlighting a disturbing trend.