Murder, Mystery & Makeup:

The Serial Killer You’ve Never Heard Of… Killed Her BF, Husband, and 7 More? Who is Kelly Cochran

Host: Bailey Sarian
Date: January 6, 2026

Episode Overview

In this captivating episode, Bailey Sarian delves into the dark, twisted saga of Kelly Cochran—an obscure but shockingly prolific alleged serial killer from Michigan. Bailey investigates the disappearance and murder of Chris Regan, the suspicious death of Kelly’s husband Jason, and disturbing claims that there might be many more victims, possibly up to nine. The story unfolds with small-town intrigue, complex relationships, police dedication, and macabre twists—peppered with Bailey's signature humor, candor, and vivid storytelling.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Mysterious Disappearance of Chris Regan (03:25 - 12:45)

• Setting the Scene: Iron River, Michigan—a quiet, wooded, mining town with only one stoplight and a population of around 3,000.
  • "It honestly is, like, kind of spooky. Okay. And then the name is kind of aggressive. It's like Iron River." (03:33)
• The Victim: Chris Regan, a well-liked Air Force veteran, reliably attends work and had just accepted a new job in North Carolina.
  • “He sounded like a great guy... reliable, a great team leader, just fun to be around.” (04:09)
• Initial Alarm: Chris misses work—completely out of character. A search reveals his apartment in chaos, a packed bag left, and his car missing.
• Key Evidence: A post-it note with directions found in Chris’s abandoned car leads police to the Cochran household (06:20).

2. Suspects and Interrogations: Kelly & Jason Cochran (12:46 - 21:16)

• First Impressions: Kelly appears calm, Jason visibly anxious. Both claim openness about Kelly's multiple relationships.
  • “She was coming across very cool and calm... Jason just appeared very nervous, quiet, uneasy.” (09:05)
• Police Focus: Suspicion falls variably on Jason (jealous, emotionally disturbed), then circles back to Kelly when another boyfriend, Eric, produces a solid alibi and passes a polygraph.
• Relationship History: Kelly and Jason are lifelong acquaintances, with a marriage described as “opposite attract”—Jason shy, Kelly outgoing and controlling.
• Police Frustration: Months pass with no hard evidence—just unsettling details like the arsenal of medieval weapons inside the house and freshly painted ceiling tiles covering apparent blood spatter.

3. Twists, Delays, and Community Involvement (21:17 - 29:12)

• Gathering Clues: A search of the Cochran home uncovers suspenseful but inconclusive evidence, including blood detected by luminol, odd “remodeling” noises heard at night, and a neighbor recalling a “funky” burning smell (24:25).
• Private Investigators: In a clever move, local PIs secretly plant a tracking device on the Cochran’s truck (30:22), theorizing they’d eventually visit where Chris’s body was ditched.

4. The Death of Jason Cochran & Investigation Ramifications (29:13 - 38:27)

• Fleeing Town & Tragedy: Kelly and Jason flee Michigan, relocating to Indiana. Jason turns up dead—initially reported as a heroin overdose.
  • "Walt knew, like, Jason never, ever, ever, ever, ever touched hard drugs." (33:09)
• Foul Play Uncovered: An autopsy reveals Jason died from strangulation, not overdose, making Kelly the prime suspect in a homicide.

5. Kelly’s Arrest, Confessions, and Legal Battles (40:27 - 57:49)

• Tense Interrogations: Detective Jeremy Ogden builds a rapport with Kelly to draw out a confession after 100+ hours of interviews.
  • "She likes to talk, but only with this Detective Ogden guy... She wouldn't talk like this with Chief Frizzo." (40:31)
• Psychological Tactics: Detective Ogden plants a chilling message in Kelly’s favorite park to spook her into confessing. It works.
  • “He ended up carving into the tree that she would sit by the words, ‘Chris is here.’ ...Sure enough, Kelly... bolted, ran straight to her car, got in, sped off. And guess what? It worked.” (43:46)
• Detailed Confession: Kelly describes how Jason killed Chris after she lured him over, then forced her to help dismember the body and destroy evidence (46:00). Detectives struggle to discern truth from Kelly’s endless lies.

6. Resolution: Trial, Sentencing, and Grisly Allegations (54:10 - 01:04:40)

• Prosecution’s Case: Focuses on Kelly’s changing stories, direct involvement, and admissions like the bizarre “cheater must kill the side piece” marriage pact.
• Defense’s Strategy: Argues Kelly is a compulsive liar and drug user, too unreliable to convict.
  • “[Defense:] I think it's very apparent that throughout the course of these proceedings, my client has been less than truthful.” (57:45)
  • “[Bailey:] She’s a liar.” (57:46)
• Conviction: Kelly is found guilty of all charges, sentenced to life without parole in Michigan, plus 65 years in Indiana for Jason’s murder.
• Appetite for Horror: Neighbors suspect (though never proven) they were served Chris Regan at a barbecue, intensifying the grim legend of Kelly and Jason Cochran.
  • "According to [the neighbor], he believed that Kelly and Jason chopped Chris up and, like, served him at the barbecue." (01:02:39)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "Was Kelly, like, honestly, low key, a serial killer?... Or was she just, like, a simple woman who let her obsessions destroy everything around her?" — Bailey Sarian (02:23)
• "You grow up and you realize that's it. All I do is work. You know?... She was like, yeah, it was boring." — Bailey on Kelly’s marital boredom (20:21)
• “They had tons of knives, swords, crossbows, guns in literally every corner of this fricking house...” — Bailey Sarian (22:03)
• “She likes to talk, but only with this Detective Ogden guy... She wouldn't talk like this with Chief Frizzo.” — Bailey Sarian (40:33)
• "Detective Ogden came up with a little creepy idea. So he ended up carving into the tree that she would sit by the words, Chris is here…" — Bailey Sarian (43:46)
• "Kelly told Detective Ogden, like, Jason took away the only good thing in her life, you know..." — Bailey Sarian (46:00)
• “It was said in court, well, you can see the footage too, but like in court, she just like, had nothing. She had no emotion, Nothing, nothing. She didn't care.” — Bailey Sarian (01:01:51)
• "[On the allegations about the barbecue] ...They were just horrified. I watched the interview of him, and you could just see it in his face of just. He was disturbed, you know..." — Bailey Sarian (01:03:27)
• "Her mom calls her and is like, Kelly, Kelly, what the hell is going on? ...and Kelly responded... ‘I've always been like this, mom.’" (01:01:10)

Important Timestamps

• 03:25 – Chris Regan’s disappearance details begin
• 06:20 – Discovery of post-it note leads to Cochran house
• 09:05 – First police encounter with Kelly and Jason
• 16:05 – Investigation of Kelly’s multiple relationships
• 22:03 – Search of Cochran home and discovery of weapons
• 24:25 – Neighbors report odd burning smells and late-night tool noises
• 30:22 – PIs place tracker on Cochran truck
• 33:09 – Jason’s unexpected death and Walt’s FBI tip-off
• 40:31 – Detective Ogden interrogates Kelly
• 43:46 – Detective Ogden carves “Chris is here” on tree
• 46:00 – Kelly’s confession and walkthrough of the murder
• 54:10 – Kelly’s arrest, charges, and the marriage pact
• 57:45 – Defense’s closing arguments ("she’s a liar")
• 01:01:10 – Kelly admits to her mother ("I've always been like this, mom.")
• 01:03:27 – Neighbors' disturbing barbecue allegation
• 01:05:00 – Bailey’s closing thoughts, aftermath, and fate of Chief Laura Frizzo

Episode Final Notes

Bailey concludes that the Kelly Cochran case remains full of unanswered questions: Is she a compulsive liar, an evil mastermind, or something else entirely? Her possible involvement in more murders, the chilling detail of the “barbecue,” and the tragic fates of Jason and Chris linger disturbingly, leaving even Bailey saying, “I don’t think we’ll ever really know the full truth. She is exhausting.”

On a lighter note, Bailey highlights the unexpected romantic “happy ending” for Chief Frizzo and Detective Ogden, who, after working together on the grisly case, eventually fell in love and married.

Final thoughts:
"Between like, Kelly's lies, Jason's violence, and, like, all the games they played, it just feels like Chris was caught in the middle of just something he. He never stood a chance against." — Bailey Sarian (01:05:32)

For further true crime chills:
Bailey recommends her episode on Sheree Miller—another Michigan case with wild twists—in her signature, playful outro.