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Yahoo
3 days ago
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Zanesville man who helped conceal his deceased father's body sentenced to nine years
ZANESVILLE ‒ One man saw his wife go to prison for murder earlier this year when a dead body was discovered in a backyard shed, but he also received a lengthy sentence for his ancillary role. David Ralph Cole Jr., 44, of Zanesville, received nine years in prison when he went before Judge Gerald Anderson May 28. He was convicted on five counts after entering a plea bargain on April 16, including tampering with evidence, obstructing justice, and endangering children, all third-degree felonies, and gross abuse of a corpse and possessing criminal tools, fifth-degree felonies. On Feb. 10, Zanesville police responded to Cole's Somers Street address. They found the body of his father, David Cole Sr., 80, wrapped in a tarp and plastic mattress cover and hidden in a shed. On Dec. 24, Cole's wife, Brittany Lee Cole, 38, gave her father-in-law double doses of Zzzquil and Tylenol No. 3, a combination of codeine and acetaminophen, after he became ill and bedridden and complained of pain. She had been his primary caretaker, noted an announcement from the Muskingum County Prosecutor's office. Brittany found Cole Sr. dead the next morning. Cole didn't check on his father often, the prosecutor's office noted, and he didn't discover his body until Jan. 8, after the family returned home from a trip. He then reportedly worked with Brittany to wrap the body and relocate it several weeks later, the prosecutor's office added. His body was found in an advanced state of decomposition, and his death was attributed to the medications, confirmed the Licking County coroner in February. Police later found incriminating texts messages, videos and Google searches from the Coles. "Although David Cole was not involved in his father's death, the evidence shows he wasn't much involved in his father's life," said Assistant Prosecuting Attorney John Litle. "We hope that this sentence brings some closure to David Sr.'s remaining family and gives what dignity we can for a helpless victim who was badly mistreated both in life and in death." On Feb. 26, Brittany was convicted of murder, an unclassified felony, and gross abuse of a corpse, a fifth-degree felony. She was received life in prison with parole possibility after serving 16 years. She claimed she'd been helping her father-in-law, who had sunk into a depression and wished to be with his late wife. More: Philo woman who pleaded guilty to trying to run over victims is sentenced to four years Shawn Digity is a reporter for the Zanesville Times Recorder. He can be emailed at sdigity@ or found on X at @ShawnDigityZTR. This article originally appeared on Zanesville Times Recorder: Zanesville man who helped conceal father's body sentenced to 9 years
Yahoo
01-03-2025
- Yahoo
Texts, web search tie Zanesville woman to Christmas murder of father-in-law
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – A Muskingum County woman could spend the rest of her life in prison after pleading guilty to killing her father-in-law on Christmas Day. According to the Muskingum County Prosecutor's Office, Brittany Cole of Zanesville pleaded guilty to the murder and abuse of corpse of her father-in-law, David Cole Sr., who was found in a shed behind a home on Somers Street in Zanesville. On Jan. 8, Zanesville police received a 911 call reporting a body behind the Cole residence, and officers found Cole Sr.'s body wrapped in a tarp and plastic mattress cover. Fort Rapids waterpark may finally be sold after legal hurdle cleared Initially an autopsy revealed that Cole Sr. died of natural causes related to heart disease or Parkinson's, but further investigation determined Brittany Cole's role in the cause of the death. Detectives collected digital evidence, texts between Brittany Cole and her husband, David Cole Jr., prompting a more intensive investigation. Nearly three weeks after Cole Sr.'s death, Brittany Cole confessed to killing him during an interview on Jan. 13. The prosecutor's office said that Brittany Cole gave Cole Sr. multiple Tylenol No. 3 with codeine tablets and a 'significant' amount of ZzzQuil on Dec. 24. When Cole Sr. complained of pain at 11 p.m. that night, she gave him additional doses of both medications, knowing it would be fatal. Brittany Cole said she discovered Cole Sr. was dead on Christmas morning and instructed family members to say he had moved to Cincinnati. She told police the family then went on vacation to Orlando, Florida, returning on Jan. 1, leaving Cole Sr.'s body in the bedroom. One week later, Cole Jr. and his son found Cole Sr. in the bedroom. Texts between Cole Jr. and Brittany Cole revealed plans to conceal and move the decomposing body. Evidence of an Amazon order for a mattress cover was discovered by detectives. Additionally, Social Security payments in the amount of $2,300 per month were deposited into a Park National Bank account, managed by Cole Jr. After Cole Sr.'s death, the couple continued to deposit the funds, with Cole Jr. sending Brittany Cole her $200 in December and January via CashApp for the water bill, while using the remaining funds for household items. Evidence collected also included camera footage of Cole Jr. finding the body, text messages about the smell and disposal plans, as well as a Google search by Brittany Cole entitled, 'when someone dies how long does it take for the body to start smelling.' On Wednesday, Brittany Cole was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 16 years. Cole Jr., 44, was arrested on Feb. 20 and charged with two counts of tampering with evidence, processing criminal tools, abuse of a corpse, obstructing official business and endangering children. He has yet to face a judge in Muskingum County Court of Common Pleas. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
27-02-2025
- Yahoo
Woman sentenced to life in prison for murder of father-in-law; husband awaits day in court
ZANESVILLE ‒ Less than a week after her arrest, a Zanesville woman's arraignment was immediately followed by a plea hearing and a maximum sentencing. Brittany Lee Cole, 37, recently pleaded guilty and was convicted of murder, an unclassified felony, and gross abuse of a corpse, a fifth-degree felony, after her father-in-law's deceased body was found in a shed on her property. She was sentenced to life in prison, with only the possibility of parole after serving 16 years, matching a joint recommendation between assistant prosecuting attorney John Litle, and defense attorney Keith Edwards. On Feb. 10, the Zanesville Police Department went to a Somers Street residence belonging to Cole. Authorities surveyed the property and found the body of David Cole Sr., 80, wrapped in a tarp and plastic mattress cover in the shed. The body was in an advanced stage of decomposition, confirmed the Licking County coroner. Cole Sr.'s cause of death was initially believed to be of natural causes, but the investigation revealed it was a deadly combination of medications. On Dec. 24, Cole had administered a first dose of Zzzquil and Tylenol No. 3, a combination of acetaminophen and codeine, to her father-in-law. She gave him a second dosage of both drugs about 90 minutes later, after he complained of pain. She went to bed and found him deceased the next day. On Dec. 26, Cole and her family departed on a family trip to Orlando until Jan. 1. It wasn't until Jan. 8 that the case's co-defendant and Cole's husband, David Ralph Cole Jr., 44, discovered the body in a bedroom. The two worked together to wrap and move it into the shed. During Zanesville police's investigation, incriminating texts messages, video footage and Google searches were found. "Evidence included camera footage from Jan. 8 showing (Cole) Jr. finding the body, text messages about the smell and disposal plans, and Brittany's Dec. 25 Google search, 'when someone dies how long does it take for the body to start smelling,'" noted an announcement from the Muskingum County Prosecutor's Office. Both Coles were arrested and indicted on Feb. 20. Brittany confessed on Feb. 13. During her court appearance, Litle said there were financial motives to masking Cole Sr.'s death. He received more than $2,000 in monthly Social Security deposits, which were managed by Cole Jr. as his father's power of attorney. At least two payments of $200, for December and January, were transferred to Brittany via Cash App for utility bills and household expenses. Brittany did not originally say anything on her behalf during sentencing. When questioned by Judge Gerald Anderson II, she believed she was helping Cole Sr., who had many times been depressed, talked of suicide, and yearned to be with his late wife, she said. More: Sheriff: Muskingum University shooting scare could have been fueled by social media rumors Brittany's two sentences are running consecutively. Anderson handed her the 12-month maximum for gross abuse of a corpse, which increased the earliest parole possibility from 15 years to 16. Post-release control was not relevant in this case, Anderson added. If Cole is released, it would be on parole. Brittany will be required to register as a violent offender annually for 10 years, if she is released on parole. She was given credit for seven days served and had been held in the Muskingum County Jail on a $1 million bond. She had no prior criminal record. Cole Jr. is detained in the Muskingum County Jail but on a $500,000 bond. His case is pending, but he was initially charged with six felonies, including gross abuse of corpse, tampering with evidence (two counts), endangering children, obstructing justice, and possessing criminal tools. His arraignment is not scheduled yet. Shawn Digity is a reporter for the Zanesville Times Recorder. He can be emailed at sdigity@ or found on X at @ShawnDigityZTR. This article originally appeared on Zanesville Times Recorder: Zanesville woman gets life sentence after pleading guilty to murder
