Girl Kills Father-in-Legislation, Googles How Lengthy Earlier than Physique Smells, Then Takes Household Trip: Prosecution

The Zanesville Police Division responded on February 10 simply after 10:30 p.m. to a 911 name a couple of physique in a shed, in keeping with a press launch from Muskingum County Prosecutor Ron Welch. Upon arrival, they discovered the physique of David Cole Sr., 80, wrapped in a tarp and plastic mattress cowl.

An preliminary post-mortem of the physique, which was in a complicated state of decay, by the Licking County Coroner’s Workplace, suspected pure causes for his dying, however additional investigation uncovered a way more sinister and disturbing story.

On February 13, Brittany Cole, confessed to killing her father-in-law, David Sr., and finally pleaded responsible on February 26 to homicide and abuse of a corpse.

Based on the press launch, Brittany finally confessed to how she set about about to kill her father-in-law, David Sr., on Christmas Eve 2024 with a “deadly mixture of medicines.”

She stated she gave him a mix of three Tylenol 3 tablets with codeine and loads of ZzzQuil at round 9:30 p.m., in keeping with Fox affiliate WJW. When he complained of ache at 11 p.m., Brittany stated she gave him one other mixture dose, telling authorities she knew “it could be deadly,” per the discharge.

As a part of her confession, Brittany stated she went to mattress after this second dose, and woke up to search out David Sr. useless at 5 a.m. on Christmas morning.

The remedy used was “sourced from her daughter’s dental prescription and a family cupboard,” in keeping with the discharge, and have been recovered by investigators as proof.

Whereas it is unclear how a lot Brittany’s fast household could have identified about what occurred that night time, the Muskingum County Prosecutor’s press launch particulars that Brittany was “instructing members of the family to lie and say David Cole Sr. had moved to Cincinnati.”

In the midst of their investigation, authorities uncovered an unsettling Google search by Brittany the place she researched on December 25, “When somebody dies how lengthy does it take for the physique to begin smelling,” per the discharge.

Then, on December 26, she and the household headed out for a weeklong household trip to Orlando, Florida, leaving David Sr.’s physique within the bed room the place he had died.

Based on the discharge, the sufferer’s son, David Jr., “found the physique whereas Brittany was in school,” on January 8, 2025, as revealed on safety digicam footage seen by investigators. However he, too, didn’t name authorities.

As an alternative, per prosecutors, the investigation uncovered textual content messages between husband and spouse discussing the decomposing physique and their plans to maneuver it. Investigators additionally discovered that David Jr. had ordered a mattress cowl from Amazon Prime.

The couple allegedly wrapped the physique in a tarp and this mattress bag, transferring it “first to the sunroom and later to the shed, the place it remained till found.” It’s not clear if David Jr. knew at this level that his father had been killed.

As for a attainable motive for the killing, investigators decided that it was monetary, as David Sr. was the recipient of a $2,300 month-to-month Social Safety verify. This verify was deposited into an account managed by David Jr., who had Energy of Legal professional over his father.

After David Sr.’s dying, the couple “continued to obtain and spend these funds,” primarily for family payments and bills, per the prosecutor’s workplace.

“Brittany Cole’s actions replicate a stunning betrayal of belief,” stated Welch. “She not solely ended her father-in-law’s life however then exploited his dying for monetary acquire, hiding the reality for weeks whereas manipulating her household. This case underscores the devastating affect of elder abuse and the significance of defending susceptible people.”

“Brittany Cole’s responsible plea at present closes a tragic chapter for the Cole household. Her sentence — life with parole eligibility after sixteen years — displays the severity of her crimes,” he continued.

Fees are nonetheless pending in opposition to David Jr. for his involvement within the coverup of his father’s dying, per CBS affiliate WKBN. He’s two counts of tampering with proof, processing felony instruments, obstructing official enterprise, and endangering kids.