Robert Cole charged w/ killing 2 Christopher Pierce / Teresa Cole LOUISIANA

[The Kitchen Guy]

Bossier City Police: Recovered Jeep belongs to missing man
December 6, 2007
By John Andrew Prime
jprime@gannett.com

Link: The Shreveport Times (http://www.shreveporttimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071206/BREAKINGNEWS/71206018)

Bossier City police have confirmed a truck recovered by divers this afternoon from the Red River is that of a man missing since 2003.

A release from Bossier City spokesman Mark Natala said the truck belonged to then-19-year-old Shreveporter Christopher Pierce. He was last seen May 19, 2003, leaving work at Taco Bell in the 4100 block of Barksdale Boulevard. Pierce was driving a red 1988 Jeep pickup truck with Louisiana license plate W031965. That was the truck and license found in the river.

The 2002 Parkway High graduate was described as a 6-foot-tall, 275-pound white male with green eyes and brown hair.

The mud-covered Jeep broke the surface of the river just after 3:40 p.m., after a little more than three hours of efforts by divers and tow operators. The truck was located at around 12:45 p.m. about 100 feet off the north ramp of the boat launch on Arthur Ray Teague Parkway, in water about 18 feet deep.

Divers first located the Jeep on sonar when they returned to the river Wednesday at the request of the Air Force’s Office of Special Investigations, Natale said. That followed on the Nov. 20 discovery, a spot just yards south of today's recovery, of a 1993 Nissan Sentra registered to Jeffrey L. Timmons (http://helpfindthemissing.org/forum/showthread.php?t=291). The then-Barksdale Air Force Base sergeant has not been seen since being classified as absent without leave more than 10 years ago.

“The Fire Department was out here (Wednesday) ... to do another search in the area where the missing airman’s car was found,” Natale said. “They did not find anything there, but they got a hit on a vehicle at this spot.”

Natale said police think there is no connection between the two vehicles.

“There are probably a lot of objects in the river,” Natale said .

The Bossier sheriff’s office also had a boat in the river to keep any passing boaters from interfering with the divers.

[Grande]

Hopefully this discovery will bring forth some answers for Christopher's friends & family.

:1222423:

[The Kitchen Guy]

There are still a lot of unanswered questions,

One cannot help but wonder how two vehicles, gone missing six years apart yet found next to one another in the Red River, cannot be related. Both occupants missing...why?

Were the windows open? Were the bodies in the cars but swept away in the current? Were the cars dumped after...a crime of some sort...was committed?

How does someone 6'0" 275 lbs just disappear?

[Grande]

December 7, 2007
Police: Missing mans truck contained human remains

Forensic investigators have found human remains inside the truck Bossier City firefighters pulled from Red River on Thursday, according to police.

Police suspected that human remains were in the trucks cab upon an initial visual search, Bossier City spokesman Mark Natale said. Authorities covered part of the truck with a tarp after pulling it from the water but would not confirm or deny Wednesday what was inside.

Local police enlisted the services of Louisiana State Universitys Forensics Anthropology and Computer Enhancement Services (FACES) Laboratory in Baton Rouge. Forensics anthropologists with the lab arrived in Bossier City this afternoon to conduct a search of the truck and confirmed the remains inside are human.

Lab personnel will take the remains back to Baton Rouge and conduct DNA tests in an effort to determine an identity, Natale said.

Christopher Michael Pierce was reported missing in May 2003. The Shreveport resident was 18 at the time and was last seen leaving work in his pickup truck at the Taco Bell in the 4100 block of Barksdale Boulevard.

His is the 1988 Jeep Commanche pickup firefighters recovered Thursday.

http://www.shreveporttimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071207/BREAKINGNEWS/71207034

[Grande]

Bossier Sheriff: Woman murdered to silence her about four-year-old slaying
January 16, 2008

Two murder cases -- one mysterious and four years old, the other 10 days old and a case of cold-blooded domestic violence -- converged today when Bossier Parish sheriff's investigators revealed their theory of a bizarre sequence of events in which a man killed his wife to keep her from telling that he had murdered her lover, a young man who disappeared from a Bossier City restaurant and later turned up dead in the Red River.

Robert Cole, jailed since Jan. 6 for the grisly murder of his wife, Terresa, was charged this afternoon with killing 18-year-old Christopher Michael Pierce, who disappeared from a Taco Bell restaurant in Bossier City four years ago. Pierce's pickup, with his body inside, was found in the river last month.

Sheriff's officials called it "a tragedy on top of a tragedy."

"Terresa feared her husband because she knew he had killed Pierce, and she was murdered to silence her," said Bossier Sheriff Larry Deen, whose office made the arrest. Deen said the Coles had "the kind of information only the murderer would know."

Cole, 32, is already in jail on first-degree murder charges in connection with the slaying of his wife, whose throat was slit at their south Bossier Parish mobile home in what investigators believe was a symbolic move to show she would not talk.

Terresa Cole, 26, was three months pregnant by another man, authorities said. But they said today they believe the motive for her murder was not punishment for infidelity.

"During the course of investigating (Terresa Cole's murder) Bossier sheriff's investigators received information that Cole had murdered Pierce," Deen said. "This information came from Robert Cole and Terresa Cole to one another and to others."

Deen said investigators believe Pierce was killed for having an affair with Cole's wife, and she knew it.

The couple's marriage had hit a rocky spot recently and Mrs. Cole had told others about that secret, Deen said.

Mrs. Cole knew details about Pierce's disappearance that were not publicly known, Deen said.

She was knifed to death at the couple's mobile home off Sligo Road. Their 1-year-old child was in the mobile home at the time of the slaying. Two other children -- the couple's 5-year-old and an 11-year-old from Robert Cole's previous marriage, were at a neighbor's house, investigators said. Cole was arrested at the mobile home after a brief standoff.

He has not been arraigned in either murder.

Pierce disappeared May 18, 2003. He was last seen at the Taco Bell on Barksdale Boulevard where he worked with Teressa Cole. Police believe he was last seen driving away from the restaurant in his Jeep pickup, which was recovered in the Red River on Dec. 6.

http://www.ktbs.com/news/Bossier-Sheriff:-Woman-murdered-to-silence-her-about-four-year-old-slaying-7882/

[Grande]

Teressa Cole posted on-line concerns about co-worker's death
January 18, 2008

Before her own murder, the wife of accused killer Robert Cole made on-line comments about the death of Christopher Michael Pierce, her former co-worker who Bossier Parish sheriff's investigators believe was also killed by Cole in a jealous rage.

Teressa Cole was murdered earlier this month, allegedly by her husband. This week, sheriff's detectives charged Robert Cole with killing Pierce because he suspected an affair with his wife -- then later killing his wife when he became afraid she would talk.

Pierce, 18, disappeared four years ago from the Bossier City Taco Bell where he worked with Teressa Cole. His body was found last month in his submerged truck in the Red River in Bossier City.

A My Space message written by Teressa Cole after authorities found Pierce's body was titled "I Just Knew It."

"Mike seemed very upset, and within days went missing," she wrote, apparently in reference to Pierce, who friends said had expressed concerns his life was in danger shortly before he disappeared in 2003.

"The following day, when he didn't show up for work, I had a bad feeling," the My Space posting continued. "I remember watching his poor dad sitting at the store all day just hoping his son would show up.

".... As time has gone by, I have thought about Mike and worried about him," the posting continued. "... This saddens me so much. I'm not sure if I should mention anything to the police or just stay out of it, but I honestly feel in my heart foul play is involved."

There is nothing in the posting saying Teressa Cole believed her husband was responsible for Pierce's death. Sheriff's detectives said Mrs. Cole told friends about her suspicions shortly before she was killed.

Cole, 32, of Bayou Loop Road, is jailed without bond on the two murder charges and is under suicide watch at the Bossier Parish jail.

http://www.ktbs.com/news/Teressa-Cole-posted-on-line-concerns-about-co-worker's-death-7944/

[Grande]

Sheriff's Department to expand Robert Cole investigation
By CHRISSI COILE ccoile@ktbs.com
Modified: January 17, 2008 06:18 PM

http://i27.tinypic.com/2qtetmb.jpg http://i26.tinypic.com/2qcl84z.jpg

The investigation of Robert Cole, the Bossier Parish man accused of killing his wife and her former co-worker four years apart, is about to expand to include the deaths of two other people in Bossier City in the past decade.

Bossier Parish sheriff's investigators said today they have no direct evidence linking Cole to the other two cases, but there are enough similarities to warrant giving each case a look.

Sheriff's detectives on Wednesday charged Cole with another count of first-degree murder -- that of Christopher Michael Pierce, who disappeared from a Taco Bell in south Bossier City four years ago and whose remains were found in a pickup found submerged in the Red River last month. Cole has been in jail 11 days for the murder of his wife Teressa -- who authorities say was murdered to keep her from telling what she knew about Pierce's death.

Bossier Parish investigators said that based on calls they have gotten, they plan to turn their attention to two other cases:

-- The death of Barksdale Air Force Base airman Jeffrey Timmons, who disappeared 10 years ago and whose remains were found in a car in the Red River in November. The car was 200 yards upstream from where Pierce's truck was found.

-- The November 2000 murder of Connie Jo McKenzie, the night manager at the same Taco Bell where Pierce disappeared. Like Teressa Cole, McKenzie's throat was slit, investigators said, and Cole lived very close to the Barksdale Boulevard restaurant at the time.

Sheriff's Department spokesman Ed Baswell said investigators started getting phone calls and e-mails asking about those two unsolved cases shortly after they announced Cole's arrest Wednesday for Pierce's murder.

"We don't see any connection there, but we haven't ruled anything out or anything in," Baswell said this afternoon. "One of the things we've learned as a result of dealing with this case is, you never take anything at face value. You follow all the leads and do your homework."

Christopher Pierce, 18, and Teressa Cole worked together at the Taco Bell. Investigators said they believe Robert Cole killed him because he suspected they were having an affair.

Teressa Cole's throat was killed earlier this month at the couple's south Bossier Parish mobile home in what investigators believe was a symbolic move to show she would not talk. Sheriff Larry Deen said the couple's marriage had hit a rocky spot recently and Mrs. Cole had told others about Pierce's death. She knew details about Pierce's case that had not been made public, Deen said.

The Pierce case, as well as the McKenzie case, were both unsolved Bossier City Police Department cases.

http://www.ktbs.com/news/Sheriff's-Department-to-expand-Robert-Cole-investigation-7913/

[Grande]

Murder suspect on suicide watch
Neighbor says victim was sweet person.
January 8, 2008
By Loresha Wilson
ljwilson@gannett.com

http://i25.tinypic.com/2dkhnhz.jpg

While friends and family try to figure out why Teresa Cole fell victim to a domestic dispute, her husband, the man charged with killing her and her unborn child, is on suicide watch in a Bossier Parish jail.

Authorities found Teresa Cole's body lying across a bed in the couple's mobile home in Sligo on Sunday. She'd been stabbed to death.

"She was such a sweet, sweet girl," neighbor Heather Smart said. "We all hate this happened."

The 32-year-old suspected killer, Robert Ernest Cole, who is the victim's husband of almost nine years, is under constant observation for threatening to take his own life.

"He's kept in a cell wearing essentially a paper gown," said Ed Baswell, Bossier sheriff's spokesman. "He's in an environment where he doesn't have anything to harm himself, and he's been there since he was booked Sunday evening."

Robert Cole faces two counts of first-degree murder: the 26-year-old and her 12-week-old fetus. Cole is being held without bond.

Smart said both were nice people and good friends to those living on or around the 300 block of Bayou Loop in south Bossier Parish. But investigators say the couple had marital problems and were discussing a possible breakup when Teresa Cole was killed about 3:15 p.m.

Bossier deputies were called to the couple's house after Robert Cole took their 11- and 5-year-old daughters next door for the neighbors to watch. The neighbor became suspicious and called 911.

"Apparently he took two of the children next door when he and his wife began to discuss things, and he made a remark to them, 'I'd finished part of it and now I need to finish the rest or what's done is done', something along those lines," Baswell said. "That created suspicion with the neighbors that something wasn't right, and at that point they contacted us."

Deputies arrived on the scene and managed to contact Robert Cole by a cell phone. Initially he threatened to kill himself, but after 20 minutes of negotiating Cole surrendered.

"It went from I'm going to end it, I'm going to kill myself to I'm going to surrender, I'm going to come out," Baswell said.

It's unknown when Teresa Cole was killed, but authorities believe she was dead by the time deputies arrived on the scene.

There were no visible signs of a struggle — no blood, no scratches — on Robert Cole that indicated the couple had been fighting, Baswell said.

If convicted as charged, he faces the death sentence.

The couple's children were with relatives Monday.

http://www.shreveporttimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080108/NEWS03/801080319

[Roamer]

This story certainly has some twists and turns, doesn't it? Now they think he may have killed four people? Sounds like a very twisted, jealous and possessive man to me.

[Grande]

This story certainly has some twists and turns, doesn't it? Now they think he may have killed four people? Sounds like a very twisted, jealous and possessive man to me.

No doubt. I'm glad they finally got him off the streets!

[Pandabear]

http://www.ktbs.com/news/Remains-found-in-Red-River-positively-identified-as-those-of-Christopher-Pierce-8720/

Remains found in Red River positively identified as those of Christopher Pierce
Created: February 13, 2008 11:50 AM
Modified: February 13, 2008 11:50 AM

Skeletal remains found in a pickup in the Red River two months ago have been positively identified as those of Christopher Michael Pierce, the young man who disappeared from a Taco Bell in Bossier City nearly five years ago, Bossier Parish sheriff's deputies said today.

The remains were identified by a forensic anthropologist in Baton Rouge who compared DNA from Pierce's parents, Sheriff's Department spokesman Ed Baswell said.

Pierce, 18, worked at the Taco Bell on Barksdale Boulevard when he disappeared in May 2003.

more at the link...


:1222423:

[Pauli]

Grand jury charges Robert Cole with two Bossier murders http://www.ktbs.com/images/ktbs_vidicon.gif (http://www.ktbs.com/news/Grand-jury-charges-Robert-Cole-with-two-Bossier-murders-9129/#)

Created: February 26, 2008 03:52 PM
Modified: February 26, 2008 06:14 PM
Robert Cole, the Bossier Parish man accused of killing his wife in order to silence her from telling anyone he had killed one of her co-workers four years earlier, was indicted on first-degree and second-degree murder charges today by the Bossier Parish grand jury.

Cole was charged with first-degree murder of his pregnant wife, Teresa. District Attorney Schuyler Marvin said it is a potential capital case because Cole allegedly killed his wife to keep her from testifying in another criminal case. Marvin said he had not decided whether to seek the death penalty.

That other case was the death of 18-year-old Christopher Pierce, who worked at a Bossier City fast-food restaurant with Teresa Cole when he disappeared four years ago. His body was found last December in his submerged pickup in the Red River

Bossier sheriff's investigators said they believe Cole killed Pierce because he suspected they were having an affair.

Teresa Cole's throat was cut last month at the couple's south Bossier Parish mobile home in what investigators believe was a symbolic move to show she would not talk. Sheriff Larry Deen said the couple's marriage had hit a rocky spot and Mrs. Cole had told others about Pierce's disappearance. She knew details about Pierce's case that had not been made public, Deen said.

Cole, 32, has not yet entered a plea in either case.

Bossier sheriff's investigators said they are continuing to investigate Cole in connection with two other Bossier cases that have some loose connections to the murders with which Cole is charged. They said they began investigating in response to requests from the public but have not found anything to warrant charges:

-- The death of Barksdale Air Force Base airman Jeffrey Timmons, who disappeared 10 years ago and whose remains were found in a car in the Red River in November. The car was 200 yards upstream from where Pierce's truck was found.

-- The November 2000 murder of Connie Jo McKenzie, the night manager at the same Taco Bell where Pierce disappeared.

The Bossier grand jury today also charged Lance Thamm of Bossier City with killing his 17-month-old daughter in a fit of anger when she would not quit crying.

Thamm, 34, faces first-degree murder charges in the death of his chid, Isabella. Prosecutors said Thamm pushed her head into a doorjamb after he became frustrated because she wouldn't quit crying.

http://www.ktbs.com/news/Grand-jury-charges-Robert-Cole-with-two-Bossier-murders-9129/

[Bayou Lass]

Grand jury charges Robert Cole with two Bossier murders http://www.ktbs.com/images/ktbs_vidicon.gif (http://www.ktbs.com/news/Grand-jury-charges-Robert-Cole-with-two-Bossier-murders-9129/#)

Created: February 26, 2008 03:52 PM
Modified: February 26, 2008 06:14 PM
Robert Cole, the Bossier Parish man accused of killing his wife in order to silence her from telling anyone he had killed one of her co-workers four years earlier, was indicted on first-degree and second-degree murder charges today by the Bossier Parish grand jury.

Cole was charged with first-degree murder of his pregnant wife, Teresa. District Attorney Schuyler Marvin said it is a potential capital case because Cole allegedly killed his wife to keep her from testifying in another criminal case. Marvin said he had not decided whether to seek the death penalty.

That other case was the death of 18-year-old Christopher Pierce, who worked at a Bossier City fast-food restaurant with Teresa Cole when he disappeared four years ago. His body was found last December in his submerged pickup in the Red River

Bossier sheriff's investigators said they believe Cole killed Pierce because he suspected they were having an affair.

Teresa Cole's throat was cut last month at the couple's south Bossier Parish mobile home in what investigators believe was a symbolic move to show she would not talk. Sheriff Larry Deen said the couple's marriage had hit a rocky spot and Mrs. Cole had told others about Pierce's disappearance. She knew details about Pierce's case that had not been made public, Deen said.

Cole, 32, has not yet entered a plea in either case.

Bossier sheriff's investigators said they are continuing to investigate Cole in connection with two other Bossier cases that have some loose connections to the murders with which Cole is charged. They said they began investigating in response to requests from the public but have not found anything to warrant charges:

-- The death of Barksdale Air Force Base airman Jeffrey Timmons, who disappeared 10 years ago and whose remains were found in a car in the Red River in November. The car was 200 yards upstream from where Pierce's truck was found.

-- The November 2000 murder of Connie Jo McKenzie, the night manager at the same Taco Bell where Pierce disappeared.

The Bossier grand jury today also charged Lance Thamm of Bossier City with killing his 17-month-old daughter in a fit of anger when she would not quit crying.

Thamm, 34, faces first-degree murder charges in the death of his chid, Isabella. Prosecutors said Thamm pushed her head into a doorjamb after he became frustrated because she wouldn't quit crying.

http://www.ktbs.com/news/Grand-jury-charges-Robert-Cole-with-two-Bossier-murders-9129/



Hey Harlett - I just stumbled upon this here and I feel that Cole is possibly involved in all four deaths (his wife for sure, Christopher Pierce, Connie McKenzie and Jeffrey Timmons). Isn't it ironic that the divers were only there as an exercise and found these two vehicles only yards apart. Another funny thing is that this is right where people put their boats in the Red River for recreational fun on the river and could have hit these vehicles with their boats when launched. I am from the Shreveport/Bossier area and I strongly feel this guy did all three murders.:yes2: