1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:05,600 Mountain State Mysteries contains adult content that may not be suitable for all audiences. 2 00:00:05,600 --> 00:00:23,600 Listener discretion is advised. I'm your host Mark and I'm Courtney and this is Mountain State Mysteries. 3 00:00:35,760 --> 00:00:53,920 The Case We Have For You Today is about a woman who was turning her life around for the 4 00:00:53,920 --> 00:01:02,480 better. This is the story of Chandus Cochran. Chandus Cochran was born on April 27, 1991. Growing 5 00:01:02,480 --> 00:01:08,640 up Chandus had the picture perfect childhood while growing up in Braxton County, West Virginia. 6 00:01:08,640 --> 00:01:14,640 With her mother Becky and her brother Bert, growing up Chandus and Bert had an unbreakable bond. 7 00:01:14,640 --> 00:01:23,680 Sadly, addiction doesn't care about a bond or a fairytale childhood. On Father's Day, in 2010, 8 00:01:23,680 --> 00:01:31,600 Bert sadly passed away due to an overdose at the age of 21. Becky told Eyewitness News, WCHS, 9 00:01:31,600 --> 00:01:37,120 that Bert acted like her father. He took care of her and protected her. The death of her brother 10 00:01:37,120 --> 00:01:42,720 started the downfall in Chandus' life. After an emergency surgery she was prescribed pain 11 00:01:42,720 --> 00:01:50,000 pills which sadly led to a heroin addiction. Two weeks before Chandus' disappearance, 12 00:01:50,000 --> 00:01:55,840 Becky said she saw a change for the better in her daughter. The change she has been praying for. 13 00:01:55,840 --> 00:02:01,840 Chandus was fighting hard to stay clean. She was fighting to turn her life around for the first 14 00:02:01,840 --> 00:02:09,280 time in 10 years. Becky said, quote, I could see that she had gotten her wheel to live and she was 15 00:02:09,280 --> 00:02:15,120 doing great. Her friends all said that they said she was better off than they've seen her since 16 00:02:15,120 --> 00:02:23,040 she lost her brother, end quote. On August 20, 2019, Becky came home and found a letter which 17 00:02:23,040 --> 00:02:31,360 she still has on her kitchen counter. It said, quote, Mom, I took off for a little while. I'm 18 00:02:31,360 --> 00:02:41,760 in good hands. I promise. Be back shortly. Please do not worry. No need to. Call if you need me, 19 00:02:41,760 --> 00:02:48,400 Chand, end quote. After that, Becky started the fight to bring her daughter back home. 20 00:02:48,400 --> 00:02:56,080 Christopher Speese, a man from Gilmore County, is who picked Chandus up that afternoon at her 21 00:02:56,080 --> 00:03:02,080 mom's home in Sutton, West Virginia. Then went to the Birch River area of Nicholas County. Troopers 22 00:03:02,080 --> 00:03:07,520 believed they had the two went there to sell drugs. It is believed that Chandus knew the Birch 23 00:03:07,520 --> 00:03:14,320 River area, but that Speese did not have a lot of connections there. The two end up at the house 24 00:03:14,320 --> 00:03:20,240 of Sam Kelly. Now we just want to add here that Speese was more than just a drug dealer. 25 00:03:21,200 --> 00:03:27,360 He was a sex offender who did not feel the need to register himself as one. He had multiple 26 00:03:27,360 --> 00:03:35,680 warrants out for his arrest for this. Senior Trooper Caleb Harper said they ended up at Kelly's 27 00:03:35,680 --> 00:03:42,800 house around midnight, quote, that was around midnight. They were there for a while. They decided 28 00:03:42,800 --> 00:03:49,040 it was time to leave, end quote. Sam Kelly left his home to go to Go-Mart to get some cigarettes 29 00:03:49,040 --> 00:03:57,280 with his girlfriend, leaving Chandus and Christopher at his home alone. We are 100% sure how well they 30 00:03:57,280 --> 00:04:03,120 knew each other. When the two came back, they saw Chandus and Christopher leaving their home 31 00:04:03,120 --> 00:04:09,760 on foot heading towards the fire department. Sam Kelly said that was the last time he saw them. 32 00:04:09,760 --> 00:04:17,440 However, to Christopher's memory, he can quote, kind of put her in the general area, end quote. 33 00:04:18,160 --> 00:04:24,320 Around 7am on August 21st, Christopher was seen walking along Widendale Road, 34 00:04:25,280 --> 00:04:31,200 just a few miles outside of the Birch River area. The person who saw him walking picked him up. 35 00:04:32,400 --> 00:04:35,040 Courtney, do you want to take a guess on who that person was? 36 00:04:35,040 --> 00:04:40,880 And was it just a random person? I'm not sure. It was actually Sam Kelly. 37 00:04:41,440 --> 00:04:45,520 Wait, what? The man who left him at his house? 38 00:04:46,240 --> 00:04:53,280 Yeah, that's the one. Sam told officers he'd just so happened to spot Christopher walking 39 00:04:53,280 --> 00:04:59,840 while Sam was on his way to work. He said that Christopher was alone and that Chandus was nowhere 40 00:04:59,840 --> 00:05:06,400 in sight. Trooper Kayla Harper said quote, according to Mr. Speese, and what evidence 41 00:05:06,400 --> 00:05:12,080 I've been able to gather from her cell phone records, it appears that her cell phone died 42 00:05:12,080 --> 00:05:17,680 sometime around midnight or sometime after and was never powered back on end quote. 43 00:05:20,000 --> 00:05:25,760 Since then, Christopher has been arrested on charges related to the disappearance of Chandus. 44 00:05:25,760 --> 00:05:33,600 He is serving time on convictions from Braxton, Lewis and Nicholas County for Grand Lawrence 45 00:05:33,600 --> 00:05:39,200 C. Attempt to commit Grand Lawrence C in the failure to register as a sex offender. 46 00:05:39,200 --> 00:05:43,280 Christopher has been interviewed by the West Virginia State Police several times. 47 00:05:44,160 --> 00:05:51,360 For one of those interviews, Becky Cochran was actually there. She said quote, he went through 48 00:05:51,360 --> 00:05:57,520 everything, just the same thing he told the state police. When he got up to leave the room, 49 00:05:57,520 --> 00:06:05,520 I hollered at him and I said Speese, just tell me is Chandus with us or not? He said not. 50 00:06:06,720 --> 00:06:12,800 That's all he said and just walked away quickly. In the weeks following Chandus's disappearance, 51 00:06:12,800 --> 00:06:19,920 extensive searches were conducted throughout Birch River and into the area that Speese was picked 52 00:06:19,920 --> 00:06:26,880 up. Trooper Harper said that him and Speese spent a few days together when he went to go 53 00:06:26,880 --> 00:06:34,000 re-interview him quote. It may have even been his idea to go over there and try to jog his memory. 54 00:06:34,000 --> 00:06:40,080 We spent several days together either talking or me driving him to Birch River and let him look 55 00:06:40,080 --> 00:06:46,960 at things and try to jog his memory and quote. Harper said quote, he can walk you up until one 56 00:06:46,960 --> 00:06:54,080 or two o'clock and he can remember being picked up the next morning. The time in between is something 57 00:06:54,080 --> 00:07:01,840 he tells us he can't recall and quote. Chandus's phone has never been found. However, a resident 58 00:07:01,840 --> 00:07:08,240 of Birch River did find her purse with her identification in the woods near Birch River, 59 00:07:08,240 --> 00:07:15,600 not too long after her disappearance. Becky said the road to finding her daughter has been painful 60 00:07:15,600 --> 00:07:23,680 and confusing but Becky said she will continue to travel it for the truth quote. In my heart, 61 00:07:24,320 --> 00:07:30,720 yes I feel like she is still out there. Maybe I'm just hopeful thinking but I do not feel 62 00:07:30,720 --> 00:07:37,600 a bad feeling in my heart. She said maybe I'm wrong but I have a lot of faith too and I just have 63 00:07:37,600 --> 00:07:44,560 faith she is out there and quote. And instead of us reading the letter to you we've decided to let 64 00:07:44,560 --> 00:07:52,240 you listen to Becky read it. Hello I am Becky Cochran, Chandus Cochran's mother. Chandus has been 65 00:07:52,240 --> 00:08:02,400 missing since August the 20th 2019. As I read this I am in Chandus's bedroom. Chandus's house coat 66 00:08:02,400 --> 00:08:13,760 is still hanging on the bedpost where she left it. It's never been moved. Her room is exactly like 67 00:08:13,760 --> 00:08:20,400 it was when she walked out of it. Christopher Speese came through our home and picked up Chandus 68 00:08:20,400 --> 00:08:28,400 the day she went missing. I was at work. Chandus left a note on the kitchen bar. It said this 69 00:08:28,400 --> 00:08:34,320 note has been laying on the bar ever since she came up missing. It says mom I took off for a little 70 00:08:34,320 --> 00:08:42,880 while. I'm in good hands I promise. Be back shortly please don't worry no need to call me if you need 71 00:08:42,880 --> 00:08:53,440 to. Love you Chand. Chandus was last seen with Christopher Speese at Birch River West Virginia. 72 00:08:53,440 --> 00:09:00,800 Speese says he does not remember anything. I got to speak with Speese about six months ago. I asked 73 00:09:00,800 --> 00:09:11,600 Speese if Chandus was with us or not. Speese said not as he walked out of the room. In my heart I believe 74 00:09:11,600 --> 00:09:20,880 Chandus is still with us. I have strong faith that's what keeps me going. Chandus is all I have left. 75 00:09:23,760 --> 00:09:30,320 Speese needs to be held accountable for Chandus's disappearance. Chandus if you get to see this 76 00:09:30,320 --> 00:09:42,720 you know you are missing love beyond words. Please make it home safe. If anyone has any information 77 00:09:43,280 --> 00:09:53,600 please call the West Virginia State Police at 304-765-2101. Thank you heart broken mother Becky 78 00:09:53,600 --> 00:10:02,720 Cochran please if you have any any information please please get ahold of us. This is a picture of 79 00:10:02,720 --> 00:10:12,800 Chandus that I had posted and a reward offered for valuable information again call 765-2101 80 00:10:12,800 --> 00:10:26,000 or 304-765-2979 that's my phone number. Please help us please thank you. If you have any information 81 00:10:26,000 --> 00:10:31,680 on the whereabouts of Chandus Cochran please call the West Virginia State Police in Sutton, 82 00:10:31,680 --> 00:10:42,480 West Virginia at 304-765-2101. If you would like to do more than just listen to this episode we 83 00:10:42,480 --> 00:10:48,400 have a call of action for you. In the show notes we will link a petition for you to sign to give 84 00:10:48,400 --> 00:10:55,760 Chandus the justice she deserves. Courtney and I have both signed up. Courtney do you have any 85 00:10:55,760 --> 00:11:05,520 final thoughts on this case? I feel it's another case that has been failed. I mean I feel that 86 00:11:05,520 --> 00:11:15,680 there's evidence out there and I just feel that it hasn't been investigated the way that it needs 87 00:11:15,680 --> 00:11:22,160 to be investigated in. I feel Christopher Speese definitely knows what happened to Chandus 88 00:11:24,160 --> 00:11:31,680 and is not really wanting to actually say what happened to her but I mean he's already serving 89 00:11:31,680 --> 00:11:41,600 jail time I mean you know go ahead and confess to it. Really? And you know I just wonder too if 90 00:11:41,600 --> 00:11:47,360 Sam Kelly actually knows what happens. I never thought about that but yeah. And it makes me 91 00:11:47,360 --> 00:11:54,560 wonder about his wife too. I mean it just honestly makes you wonder I mean you can go out there you 92 00:11:54,560 --> 00:12:01,280 can see somebody running but during that time frame what else is your alibi? What else were you doing 93 00:12:01,280 --> 00:12:08,560 at the time that you sent him running? If I seen a woman running from a man I would definitely be 94 00:12:08,560 --> 00:12:12,400 trying to figure out what was going on and going after and see what was actually happening. 95 00:12:14,080 --> 00:12:19,280 Who knows if that was even the truth right there that they were walking or whatever. 96 00:12:20,160 --> 00:12:26,080 You know I mean it's just it's just sad all around and everything and it just honestly 97 00:12:26,080 --> 00:12:32,640 makes you wonder what happened to this poor girl. I mean it was 2019 so ring cameras were a thing then 98 00:12:32,640 --> 00:12:37,840 right? I think they were just starting to come out. So I feel like people would have had them 99 00:12:37,840 --> 00:12:43,360 so I mean you think? I mean they would definitely have security systems out there and I know some 100 00:12:43,360 --> 00:12:48,320 people actually have like cameras up and stuff and I mean especially if it's in the woods or something 101 00:12:48,320 --> 00:12:55,920 of that nature there could be hunting cameras up on like trail cams all this stuff up and everything 102 00:12:55,920 --> 00:13:04,880 and I just I feel that there's been an injustice served and that this hasn't been properly 103 00:13:04,880 --> 00:13:10,640 investigated into as to what we're coming to learn with about every single case that we 104 00:13:11,920 --> 00:13:19,680 cover you know that these cases are not covered that well in things. Mark do you have any final thoughts? 105 00:13:19,680 --> 00:13:28,800 I wish I could say we found this case but in all honesty it found us. We ended up getting a message 106 00:13:28,800 --> 00:13:37,360 on our Facebook page and an email. I actually texted Courtney what was it last week when I saw 107 00:13:37,360 --> 00:13:44,720 the email and I'm like we need to cover this case as soon as possible. The more research I did on the 108 00:13:44,720 --> 00:13:54,240 case the more it didn't make any sense to me. I hate that she said that she was in good hands to her 109 00:13:54,240 --> 00:14:03,440 mom when she wasn't and it makes my skin crawl knowing he was a sex offender and that he wouldn't 110 00:14:03,440 --> 00:14:10,000 register because God only knows what he could have done to her let alone other people in that time frame 111 00:14:10,000 --> 00:14:19,120 and I honestly question how well him and Sam Kelly knew each other because I know for a fact me and 112 00:14:19,120 --> 00:14:25,520 you would not let two people to stay in our house while we left. No God no. Especially to go to 113 00:14:25,520 --> 00:14:35,040 Go-mart however far that is from his house to get cigarettes which it's just like if there was drugs 114 00:14:35,040 --> 00:14:41,280 in the house and they knew it they could have stole them who's to say Sam Kelly could have like he 115 00:14:41,280 --> 00:14:50,240 could have done something to Chandis and is letting Christopher take all the blame for it and all of 116 00:14:50,240 --> 00:15:04,960 this because it's just ugh and how he can remember what happened before and after but not during the 117 00:15:04,960 --> 00:15:15,440 time of her going missing I've never done drugs I don't know about you. No. But I don't know how like 118 00:15:15,440 --> 00:15:23,440 you can just forget a small little period of time that something major happened and it just be so 119 00:15:23,440 --> 00:15:35,520 okay with everyone like I fully believe he knows what happened and I could go on and on about this 120 00:15:35,520 --> 00:15:45,840 case but I do want to say again for everyone listening please sign the petition and visit the 121 00:15:45,840 --> 00:15:53,680 Facebook page for Chandis. Like we said earlier we will have it in our show notes on this episode 122 00:15:53,680 --> 00:16:00,800 and we will link them in the Facebook post for this episode. This is something we can all help with. 123 00:16:01,680 --> 00:16:08,160 I'm not sure if there are other people out there like this but I've always been the type of true 124 00:16:08,160 --> 00:16:16,640 crime consumer who I would not only just listen, wash or read I would always sign a petition 125 00:16:16,640 --> 00:16:23,200 if it was something I believed in and I always wanted to find the answers to help solve the case. 126 00:16:25,200 --> 00:16:32,480 So now as a true crime podcaster I believe we have the platform to do this to help solve cases 127 00:16:32,480 --> 00:16:39,040 and help get the truth out there for the families. Stay tuned for our next episode which is the 128 00:16:39,040 --> 00:16:45,040 season finale of Mountain State Mysteries season two. If you find yourself enjoying Mountain 129 00:16:45,040 --> 00:16:50,640 State Mysteries take a second to follow and rate it on your favorite podcast platform. 130 00:16:50,640 --> 00:16:56,640 It helps others find good West Virginia true crime podcasts. Don't forget to follow us on 131 00:16:56,640 --> 00:17:02,800 Instagram, Facebook and TikTok all at Mountain State Mysteries. Do you have a case you want us 132 00:17:02,800 --> 00:17:11,440 to cover? Email us at MountainStateMysteries304 at gmail.com. For the show notes check out our 133 00:17:11,440 --> 00:17:27,360 website MountainStateMysteriesPodcast.com.