When young father Michael Cochran died in what seemed like a medical mystery, the close-knit city of Beckley, West Virginia, was left stunned.
Neighbors swooped in to help Michael’s grieving widow, Natalie Cochran, and the couple’s two children until a shocking betrayal was revealed, according to an all-new Dateline that’s airing on Friday, April 25, 2025 at 9/8c p.m. on NBC.
“(The) most surprising moment was how the villain in this story could betray the trust of so many people in such an egregious way,” Dateline correspondent Andrea Canning told NBC Insider of the episode, titled “The Devil’s in the Details.”
Canning spoke to some of Michael’s closest friends, along with family and investigators, for the broadcast, in order to piece together the disturbing events that led to his February 2019 death.
As the episode’s official synopsis explains: “West Virginia pharmacist Natalie Cochran is left widowed after her 38-year-old husband Michael suddenly dies. Their close-knit neighborhood rallies around Natalie and her two young children until troubling details emerge regarding the couple’s new business venture.”
The Cochrans were once considered pillars of their community as thriving business owners.
“It looked like a really good, legitimate business,” Jason Bowen told Dateline of the couple’s venture, as seen in a preview of the episode.
Beckley, West Virginia, was the “kind of place where neighbors become family and trust runs deep,” Canning explained in a voiceover heard in the preview. But that all came crashing down when questions began to emerge about the couple’s business.
“I don’t think we’re getting our money back,” the couple’s friend Stephanie Hamilton noted of some signs of trouble. “There’s something wrong here.”
The problem only snowballed from there as it became clear there’d been a “huge” betrayal, according to Canning.
“It just keeps unraveling,” former West Virginia State Trooper Tim Bledsoe told Dateline.
Michael Cochran’s shocking death
Michael’s sudden death after what seemed like a medical episode left loved ones reeling.
“It took all the breath out of me, all just sank,” his stepfather, Ed Bolt, told Dateline.
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Michael’s mother, Donna Bolt, said she wished “it would have been different,” but as the investigation into his death deepened, law enforcement began to suspect foul play.
“It fit the bill for a first-degree murder,” prosecutor Tom Truman said.
It all led to a shocking arrest.
“I can honestly say I never imagined that would be where we ended up,” Bledsoe said.
Canning told NBC Insider that the mystery plays out like a cautionary tale to others.
“Viewers should take away that no matter how close you are with someone, do your homework before investing your life savings with them,” she said.
For Canning, the most challenging part of the story was determining how to cover the complex case.
“There were so many intertwined elements that made this an especially sordid tale full of secrets and betrayal,” she said.
To find out how it all came together, watch Dateline on Friday April 25, 2025 at 9/8c p.m. on NBC or stream the episode on Peacock when it becomes available the next day.
And for even more Dateline, sign up for the show’s official newsletter and check out its podcast.
