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Who Was Christopher Regan & What Happened to Him? 2026 Update & Profile

Ryan Gill

Christopher “Chris” Regan was remembered by family and friends as a hardworking mechanic with a generous personality and strong ties to his community. His unexplained disappearance in 2014 devastated those who knew him and launched a missing person investigation that would eventually uncover one of the most disturbing homicide cases in recent American history.

ABC’s 20/20 revisits Regan’s story in Where Monsters Hide, examining how his disappearance exposed an alleged murder pact, led investigators across two states and resulted in the convictions of Kelly Cochran for two separate murders. Although the criminal cases have long since concluded, Christopher Regan remains the first known victim in a case that continues to fascinate true crime audiences.

Who Was Christopher Regan?

Christopher Regan lived in Iron River, Michigan, where he worked as a mechanic and was well known within the local community. Friends described him as dependable, friendly and someone who maintained close relationships with family and those around him.

Regan met Kelly Cochran while the two worked together. Over time, the pair developed a romantic relationship, despite Kelly being married to Jason Cochran. Investigators later concluded that this affair became the catalyst for the events that followed.

There was little indication to those closest to Regan that his relationship with Kelly would place him in danger. Like many missing person investigations, those around him initially believed he may have left voluntarily or encountered an unforeseen emergency.

Instead, investigators would later determine that Regan had become the victim of a carefully concealed homicide.

Christopher Regan’s Disappearance

In October 2014, Christopher Regan suddenly vanished without warning. He stopped communicating with friends and family, failed to appear at work and left behind no explanation for his disappearance.

His sudden absence immediately raised concern because it was completely out of character. Family members reported him missing after repeated attempts to contact him failed.

Local law enforcement launched an extensive missing person investigation, interviewing friends, co-workers and acquaintances while examining Regan’s recent movements and relationships. Despite those efforts, detectives initially found very little evidence explaining where he had gone.

As weeks turned into months, investigators increasingly believed Regan had not disappeared voluntarily.

The Investigation Turns Toward the Cochrans

Detectives eventually learned about Christopher Regan’s relationship with Kelly Cochran, bringing both Kelly and her husband Jason under closer scrutiny.

As investigators examined phone records, witness statements and the couple’s movements, they uncovered allegations of an unusual agreement between Kelly and Jason. According to prosecutors, the Cochrans had entered into a pact that required either spouse to kill anyone involved in an affair with the other.

Investigators concluded that Regan had unknowingly become the target of that alleged agreement.

Michigan prosecutors later alleged that Kelly lured Regan to the Cochran home in Iron River. Once there, prosecutors said Jason Cochran shot him inside the house while Kelly participated in the killing and the effort to conceal the crime.

Authorities alleged the couple then dismembered Regan’s body before transporting his remains to a remote wooded area in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.

How Detectives Solved the Case

For more than a year, Christopher Regan’s disappearance remained unsolved. Investigators continued pursuing leads but lacked the evidence needed to determine exactly what had happened.

The investigation changed dramatically in February 2016, when Jason Cochran died under suspicious circumstances in Hobart, Indiana. Kelly initially claimed her husband had suffered a heroin overdose, but detectives soon determined his death was a homicide.

As investigators from Indiana and Michigan began working together, evidence from both cases started to overlap. The combined investigation placed increasing pressure on Kelly Cochran during repeated interviews.

Eventually, Kelly admitted involvement in Christopher Regan’s death while attempting to place much of the blame on Jason. Most importantly, she agreed to direct investigators to the area where Regan’s remains had been hidden.

The recovery of his remains provided investigators with critical physical evidence and finally answered the question that had haunted Regan’s family since 2014.

The Trial for Christopher Regan’s Murder

Kelly Cochran was charged in Michigan with first-degree murder in Christopher Regan’s death.

During the trial, prosecutors argued that Kelly played a central role in planning the killing, luring Regan to the house and helping dispose of his body after Jason allegedly carried out the shooting.

Jurors heard testimony from investigators, forensic experts and witnesses who helped reconstruct the events surrounding Regan’s disappearance. Prosecutors also presented evidence recovered during the investigation, including Kelly’s own statements and the discovery of Regan’s remains.

The defence challenged parts of the prosecution’s case, but after hearing the evidence, the jury found Kelly Cochran guilty of first-degree murder.

She was sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole, ensuring she would spend the remainder of her life in prison for Christopher Regan’s murder.

Christopher Regan’s Family Finally Gets Answers

For Christopher Regan’s family, the investigation was a long and painful journey. More than 18 months passed between his disappearance and the recovery of his remains.

The discovery allowed his loved ones to finally lay him to rest after months of uncertainty. Although the outcome could never undo what had happened, the convictions provided a measure of justice.

Throughout the investigation and trial, family members attended court proceedings and followed the case as prosecutors presented evidence detailing the final days of Regan’s life.

The emotional toll remained significant, with relatives forced to hear graphic testimony describing the efforts made to conceal the murder.

The Legacy of Christopher Regan’s Case

Christopher Regan’s murder became the catalyst for uncovering everything investigators would later learn about Kelly Cochran and Jason Cochran. Had he not been reported missing and had detectives not continued pursuing the case, many of the events that followed may never have come to light.

The investigation also demonstrated the importance of cooperation between law enforcement agencies. Detectives in Michigan and Indiana shared information, forensic evidence and investigative resources to solve crimes that crossed state lines.

Christopher Regan is remembered not only as the first known victim of Kelly Cochran’s crimes, but also as the reason investigators ultimately uncovered the truth behind both murders. His disappearance led to years of investigative work, the recovery of crucial evidence and convictions that ensured those responsible were held accountable.

ABC’s 20/20 explores Christopher Regan’s story through interviews with investigators, prosecutors and those connected to the case, highlighting both the determination required to solve the investigation and the lasting impact his loss continues to have on his family and the Iron River community.

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