True Crime Vault: Where Monsters Hide

The episode 'True Crime Vault: Where Monsters Hide' delves into the chilling disappearance of Chris Reagan, a 51-year-old man who vanished from Iron River, Michigan, in October 2014. Despite a meticulously organized apartment and an abandoned car, no signs of forced entry or struggle were found, raising immediate suspicion. Police Chief Laura Frizzo, the first female chief in the Upper Peninsula, leads the investigation and uncovers a complex web of relationships involving Reagan and two women—Terry O'Donnell and Kelly Cochran—both of whom were romantically involved with him. The case escalates into a love quadrangle when it's revealed that Cochran, married to Jason Cochran, was also involved with another coworker, Eric Erickson. As evidence mounts—including a journal titled 'Where Monsters Hide' written by Jason, blood spatter detected with luminol, and a hidden GPS tracker on the Cochran’s truck—the suspects flee to Indiana. A dramatic 911 call from Kelly Cochran in February 2016, claiming her husband Jason was dying, triggers a new investigation by Hobart Detective Sergeant Jeremy Ogden. Using psychological tactics, Ogden manipulates Kelly into confessing to the murder of Chris Reagan, including details like dismemberment and the use of forceps to extract a bullet. After her arrest in Kentucky, Kelly confesses to the murder and later pleads guilty to killing her husband, Jason. Though she claims to have been coerced, the jury convicts her of first-degree premeditated murder and aiding and abetting. The case ends with Kelly sentenced to life without parole, while Chief Frizzo, despite bringing justice, is fired from her position. The episode ends on a bittersweet note as Frizzo finds love and plans a future in the very community she once protected.