What Did Surveillance Footage Reveal About the Cole Thomas Case?

Hi Crime Junkies, I'm your host Ashley. Flowers. >> And I'm Brit. [music]. >> And you guys, sometimes the hardest. cases to crack aren't always the ones. with nothing to go on. They're often the. ones where everybody seems to know. something, but they're just too scared. to talk. Because today's story isn't about. someone disappearing into the dark. alone. [music]. It's about a young man who vanished in. front of his {quote} {unquote} friends. from work. Their first version, he panicked, pulled. the car over, hopped out, and booked it.

But the only people who say they saw. what happened are the same ones who. can't keep their story straight. And. when the truth keeps bending like that, it's not confusion. It's not bad memory. Usually, it's a bold-faced lie. This is the story of Christopher Cole. Thomas. It's just after 3:00 a.m. on Black.

Friday in 2016. But in the small town of Benson, North. Carolina, no one's lining up to snag a. deal on the latest iPhone or the biggest. TV. It's quiet. Most people are asleep, >> [music]. >> and the streets are practically empty. Which is giving time for a couple of. officers to finish up some paperwork in. the police department parking lot. And it's in that quiet moment when two. men walk up. Their names are Julian. Vayas Jr. and Jeremy Carpenter. Now,

they're not panicked or screaming or. anything like that. They just need a. little bit of help. They're passing. through after visiting Julian's family. for Thanksgiving. [music] They were on. their way back to Minnesota, where they. both work. But now they don't have keys. to their car. And the story of how that happened is. weird. They say that they were traveling. with a third buddy, Christopher Thomas, who goes by Cole, and he's the one who. was driving. But out of nowhere, he started acting. [music] paranoid. And before they knew.

it, he pulled over, took the keys, jumped out, and then like ran until he. dropped out of sight. They don't know. why or where he went. I mean, Cole. couldn't have even known where he was. because he's not from around there. He's. from Florida. The only half explanation that Julian. offers up is that he had heard rumors. that Cole might have, quote, mental. problems. But he wasn't even really. sure. They said they tried looking for him. themselves, but they can't find him, and. now they're just stuck. Now, the story.

is a bit odd, sure, but not enough to. like set off alarm bells for these. officers. Because even though it's an. ungodly hour, these guys don't appear to. be under the influence or anything like. that. So, the officers do what they can. The guys point them in the direction of. North Johnson Street, where they say. Cole ran off. >> [music]. >> They check the few places that might. still be open for gas or coffee, but. there's just no sign of it. No one who. saw or heard anything, either. So, within hours, that's pretty much it.

Because as far as police are concerned, this sounds like a grown man who just. chose to leave. That is not a crime. >> Yeah, but he didn't know anyone else in. the area, did he? >> No, and honestly, Cole didn't even. really know these guys all that well. They had just met while working a. contract construction gig up in. Minnesota. It sounds like. Cole basically didn't have plans to go. home to Florida for Thanksgiving, so he. kind of just like tagged along with them. for something to do. >> And was it just for like the long. weekend? >> Yeah, like they all had to be back at.

work on Monday, which I think is part of. the reason that Julian and Jeremy are. stressed about getting stranded without. the keys. >> Yeah. >> Now, they eventually call up a. locksmith, but strangely, when he gets. there, he ends up finding the keys right. underneath the car. So, [music] the guys head back. >> They They just leave Cole? >> Yeah. I mean, like he ran off on his. own. They have to get back for work. I. mean, they filed a missing person's. report with the officers that they. talked to, so they go home. >> Geez, what friends. >> I know. And the thing is though, like.

you don't know the half of it. Because. Brett, even though they told police what. they say happened, neither of them actually bothered trying. to reach Cole's family down in Florida. Like you report him missing, but you. don't call anyone. So, his parents are completely unaware. that their son is missing until Sunday, when they get an out-of-the-blue call. from police in North Carolina. To say they were shocked is a gross. understatement. Cuz they didn't even. know Cole was going to North Carolina.

Not that he has to like tell them, he's. 22, but it's kind of weird that he. didn't even mention [music] it. Because. he'd exchanged texts with his dad on. Thanksgiving, just like a simple, "Hey, love you. Enjoy the turkey." But there. was zero mention of this cross-country. road trip. >> Which seems like it's something that. would at least come up in conversation. >> think. So, the family gets word of this. They get this phone call, and the only. explanation that they're getting is that. their son just like ran off into the. pitch black in a place that he had.

probably never been to or even heard of. before. And they had never heard the. names Julian or Jeremy. Since Cole had. only been on that Minnesota job site for. like less than a month. But get this, Cole's dad, his name's Chris, he told. our reporter Madison that even though. like his mind was like racing in that. moment, he actually did know someone. that he could call. [music]. The guy that Cole had been working under. as an electrical apprentice, this is. someone who he knew was working with. this same crew up in Minnesota. So, he.

he at least has a name, Steven, right? So, Chris didn't have his number, but. like lightning, he looks through Cole's. Facebook friends, finds [music] Steven, messages him his cell, says like, "Call. me ASAP." And within minutes, Steven is. hitting him up. And he spits out. something like, "Oh, Mr. Chris, I've. been trying to get a hold of you." Which. right away, Chris is thinking like, "No, you most definitely have not. Like, I'm. not a hard guy to find.". >> could have done exactly what dad did and. found him on Facebook. >> Yes, and Chris is listed as Cole's.

father on his Facebook page. >> Oh, so he's like right there. >> Easy. But anyways, he doesn't harp on. this. He is just listening. And what. Steven says next is far from reassuring. He wasn't on this getaway with these. guys, but he sure seems to know a thing. or two about it because he starts. rambling on something about a strip. search, about Cole freaking out. And. then he says something that stops Chris. Cole. "I think they killed him.". >> They who? >> That is exactly what Chris is trying to.

figure out. He is asking all of the. questions. Like, a strip search for. what? Why was he freaking out? Who are. you talking about? And that's when. Steven starts filling in some of the. blanks. He tells him that the guys Cole. was traveling with, Julian and Jeremy, they weren't just passing through North. Carolina for Thanksgiving. They had. driven there all the way from Minnesota. to buy drugs. And he says they went to meet up with. some like very dangerous dudes. And. afterwards, something must have gone.

wrong. And this is like the foundation. shaking for Cole's parents. Like, this. is never the kind of story they would. ever expect to be hearing involving. their son. I mean, obviously, you never. really know who might be struggling with. substance use or fall into a lifestyle. of dealing, whatever, but Cole like, this was never something they ever had. to worry about with him before. Like, he. grew up in a small town, graduated as. salutatorian of his high school, earned. some scholarship money to attend the. University of Florida, and had plans to.

go into medicine, inspired by his. younger brother who has autism. He was smart. He was driven. But, like a. lot of people in their early 20s, he was. still figuring things out. So, after a. few years of college, he was like. feeling kind of burnout. He decided he. just wanted to take a break from school. He was motivated to like make some. money, get real-world experience, learning a new trade. It meant. traveling, it meant working long hours. with his hands, and being introduced to. new people from widely different. backgrounds. But, to his family, it.

sounded just like this temporary detour, a way to save up some cash. And look, his mom, Kathy, even told us that Cole. was seemingly so open with her. He even. admitted that he tried some party drugs. here and there when he was in college. So, no, this situation that he's in, not. impossible, but traveling across state. lines for a drug deal, like that's the. part that like it just didn't sound like. the Cole she knew. >> Uh-huh. >> And for him to change that much in just. 1 month, right? It's not like he's been. gone for a long time. Like, it makes. zero sense. Of course, Cole's dad.

doesn't want to believe what he's. hearing, but that's not a risk that he's. willing to take. So, within hours of. that call with Steven, he and Cole's. mom, Kathy, throw their things in the. truck, and they start driving from. Florida to North Carolina. Because, if. there is even a small chance that their. son is still out there, hurt or scared, hiding or otherwise, they are going to. find him themselves. Now, the drive from. Florida to North Carolina should take. less than 8 hours. But, that weekend,

with holiday traffic, it takes a heck of. a lot longer. And the whole time, it is. just like absolutely brutal being in. that car. The drive is a blur for both. of them as they try to wrap their heads. around what they've just been told. So, when they finally do get to Benson, North Carolina, it is the middle of the night, and they. don't waste a second. They go straight. to the police station and tell officers. the bits and pieces that they heard from. Steven. Even though it's not much to go. on, it's like, you know, more than they.

had gotten from Julian and Jeremy, or. more than they told police when they. were in town. So, the cops, when they. hear this, they call Jeremy and Julian. back up and like try to get to the. bottom of what's really going on. Now, when they reach them, the men are. supposedly still traveling back to. Minnesota. And at first, Julian and. Jeremy stick to the same story. But. officers don't just ask once and accept. their answer. I don't know if they. eventually rat out Steven as their. source or what, but at some point these.

two end up admitting it or like some of. it. >> [music]. >> It's true, they didn't go all that way. for mom's mashed potatoes, it was to buy. meth. Not like a ton, I don't think, but. like enough for them, enough to maybe. sell to some of the guys at their job. site back in Minnesota. And Julian is. from North Carolina, so he is the one. who had this hookup down there. They. went to the town over from Benson, it's. called Mount Olive. And that's where. they met up at a house of this guy who. Julian knows. His name was Rodolfo. DeLeon Jr., aka Rudy. And they also met.

with apparently Rudy's buddy, Anthony. James Jr., who goes by TJ. So, Rudy and. TJ. Now, Julian and Jeremy don't really. say what else happened or who else might. have been there, just that they did this. deal and then they left. And sometime. later in the car, the story that they. first told kind of picks back up. Cole. becomes frantic, but this go around. they're not saying anything about mental. health struggles anymore. They're a. little bit more honest. They say that he. was maybe paranoid about the drug deal.

and thought that they were being. followed by the cops. So, that's why he. ran. Now, investigators are sensing that. like something is up, that maybe they. still don't have the full story. So, together from like what we got from. Steven, this theory starts to emerge. that something with the drug deal went. wrong or Cole, who may have just been. the driver because Julian and Jeremy. they didn't have their licenses, maybe. he realized that he was in way over his. head and like freaked out. If that part.

about him taking off. >> [music]. >> is even true, though. I mean, the truth. is at this point police don't even have. proof that Cole was ever in Benson at. all. Like they All they have is that. report from them, right? For all they. know, the entire story about Cole. pulling over there, running away could. have been made up to cover for whatever. really happened to him to keep police. from knowing Cole's real last. whereabouts. Though, that whole part. about them being like 40 minutes away. over in the town of Mount Olive when.

they met up with whoever else, that. might actually be legit because police. tracked down video from a Handy Mart. convenience store there from earlier in. the night. This would have been. Thanksgiving Day. >> Okay. >> The department wouldn't share that video. with us, but we spoke to Benson Police. Chief Greg Percy about it. >> [music]. >> And he said that Cole, Julian, and. Jeremy can all be seen on this video. between like 11:37 p.m. and 11:50. [music]. p.m. This is just about 3 hours before. Julian and Jeremy would eventually.

report Cole missing to the cops. But at this time, Chief Percy says that. everything seems completely normal. Cole. goes in, grabs a drink. Apparently, he. doesn't look paranoid at all. In fact, nothing about his behavior stands out as. far as Chief Percy can tell. Knowing that their son was somewhere. around this area in North Carolina, right? Like we know we can put him. there. Cole's parents, Chris and Kathy, know. that this is going to have to become. home base for them for a while.

>> Yeah. >> So, they go back to Florida. They pack. up what they can, and then they turn. right back around and head to North. Carolina. This time with an entire. travel trailer. And they set up at a. campground nearby. Every day, they're. out putting up signs. They're working on. billboards. They're driving roads, checking ditches, using search dogs, combing through areas that even have. already been cleared just in case. something was missed. >> Mhm. >> All while police are collecting. surveillance footage from Mount Olive, from Benson, and parts in between. And. back then, Chief Percy wasn't chief. He.

was captain. And it was his job to go. through all of the footage that they. were collecting. Hours of it. And it. takes him weeks. Completely consumes. him. I mean, talk about bringing your. work home with you. Percy cannot just. leave this at the office. He's literally. reviewing footage at home in the night, like at all hours. And it's actually in. one of those late nights at his kitchen. table in December. when he finally catches something. Now, the footage he is looking at is from a. camera at the Walgreens in Benson.

[music]. And it's pointed at the parking lot, but. you can also kind of see like across. North Johnson Street, where you get like. the slightest view of a bank and its. parking lot. And it's pretty good as. like video like footage goes, or like it. would be if you were in the Walgreens. parking lot, like close to the camera. But that's not where he spots movement. At 1:10 a.m., he sees something moving. through the frame in the distance. So, he like spots it, he rewinds, he. zooms in, hits play again.

When he realizes what he's looking at, >> [music]. >> he gets this rush of adrenaline. He. actually wakes up his wife to show her, too, because for the first time, he can. prove it. Cole was actually in Benson, like a 5-minute walk from where the car. was left, just [music] like Julian and. Jeremy said. Except, he didn't run off. [music] alone. In the footage, Cole is. just walking, and there's someone. following on foot right behind him.

>> In the parks and forests you love, there. are stories waiting to be told. I'm. Delia D'Ambra, the host of Park. Predators, [music] a true crime podcast. that reminds you sometimes the most. beautiful places hide the darkest. secrets. Listen now wherever you get. your podcasts. At exactly 1:10 a.m. in the top middle. of the screen,

you can see two figures. And like only. the bottom halves of their bodies are. visible. And at first it looks like they're. walking like right across frame, but. when they disappear behind something. dark and then they don't reappear, you. realize that like the depth perception. is a little weird without context. [music] And the two people are actually. walking right to left on screen, but I. think they're walking behind the bank. And so it takes 20 seconds, but then you. see them reappear on the other side of. the building. Police determined this is.

Cole and walking slowly behind him, maybe kind of even to the side, is one. of his fellow travel companions who they. determined to be Jeremy Carpenter. Now, it's not like he's sneaking up on him or. anything. Cole most certainly knows that. Jeremy was there. I mean, to me it even. looks like Cole is like gesturing. Like. maybe they're talking as they walk off. camera. Now, of the 3 hours of footage from that. Walgreens camera that we got from Cole's. family,

that's it. Just like 30 seconds that. eagle-eyed Percy caught. But it was. enough to prove that the guys were still. lying to them. Yes, he was in Benson, but he did not walk off alone. So when. they go back to Jeremy and confront him. with this, the story evolves again. Not a completely different version or. anything. It's like Jeremy just drops. another breadcrumb. Something like, "Oh. yeah, okay. So after Cole got out and. walked off, I went after him so that I. could calm him down or whatever." And.

then at some point, he says that they. end up outside a nearby church. And. supposedly one that's like a pretty. short walk from the bank. So it wouldn't. have been like long after we saw them on. that camera. And suddenly, it sounds. like Jeremy, too, is convinced that. they're being [music] followed cuz he's. now saying that he's just as freaked out. as Cole. >> Wait, where's Julian in all of this? >> I don't know. I think he's actually. staying behind with the car. Like he's. not seen on any of the footage and it's. not part of his story that Julian's like. with them. >> Okay.

>> But anyways, Jeremy and Cole are. supposedly at this church. And according. to Jeremy, Cole says that he has to pee. So he walks off to go take care of that. And that's when Jeremy tells police that. he like gets down on his knees and. starts [music] praying. >> For what? >> Maybe that like if somebody's really. after them they don't find them or maybe. that they come out of whatever this is. okay. I don't know. But like per Jeremy, by. the time he says amen. Cole's just gone. Except later another bread crumb drops.

And he admits well, okay, actually while. I was out there. I did hear a car door. But then that car. door sound eventually turns into I think. I may have heard gunshots. >> So he's saying someone. picked up Cole or. now maybe shot Cole while he himself was. >> praying? >> Praying. >> I guess. But he says that essentially. like when he opens his eyes and he sees. that Cole is gone.

that like he he actually does say he. like tries to go look for him. But after. he looks and looks and he can't find. Cole anywhere, at some point he realizes. he needs some water. According to him, he's diabetic so he. actually like really needs it. And lo. and behold, one of the only places still. open in a small town at this hour, he. spots those like bright golden arches. Mickey D's, yes. Now police are actually. able to verify that he went to the. McDonald's that night because in more. surveillance footage that police got. that again, Cole's family shared with us.

there goes Jeremy by himself walking. into the parking lot. He looks like he's. like speaking to someone who works. there, maybe like seeing if he needs to. go in or maybe he could just go through. the drive-thru. He ends up walking. through the drive-thru and he gets his. cup of water just after 2:20 in the. morning. No Cole in sight. >> And no Julian, either. >> No Julian, either. But, he has to meet. back up with Julian at some point, somehow, because we know that they're. together like 40 minutes after this. talking to cops and reporting that Cole. ran off. That was at like 3:00 a.m.

But, here's the super interesting part. Julian and Jeremy. aren't just alone the rest of the night. Obviously, the police and later a PI. brought on by Cole's family [music] get. phone data for all the men that night. And based on location data, it seems. like Jeremy and Julian are still with. and around Rudy and TJ sometime after. Cole goes missing. >> And where was Cole's phone?

>> Well, I think everyone originally made. the assumption that he walked off with. it. That's what you would think, right? Turns out that was a wrong assumption, because when they finally got Jeremy and. Julian to come back to North Carolina to. be questioned in person, they were like, "Oh, yeah, by the way, here you go.". >> Wait, they had Cole's phone? >> This whole time. >> Why didn't they tell police that? >> I don't have any answer for that. Like, it might be as simple as nobody asked,

but like. they're asking for it now. >> Yeah. >> And they get it. Not only do they have the breadcrumbs. that Jeremy and Julian have been. dropping, now they actually have a. digital trail that shows Cole's. movements the whole night. >> Mhm. >> And lined up with the other phones, it. tells an interesting story. One that the. family's private investigator, David. Marshburn, really helps put together by. dumping all of the data points into an.

app called CellHawk. If law enforcement. agencies aren't using things like this, this is my PSA. I mentioned a similar. application badge app in the Melissa. Cassias case recently. These programs. are for law enforcement and they take. basically huge data dumps, put them into. a map that you can actually like see and. make sense of. >> Like processes the data. >> Something that tells a story. Right. Now, just like the surveillance footage. showed, the phone puts Cole at the Handy. Mart convenience store in Mount Olive at. 11:38 p.m. on November 24th.

>> Mhm. >> They now know that this is after the. drug deal took place. From there, Cole's phone starts moving. and it seems like they're making their. way there for a while, but then at some. point they start like cutting through. random side roads and it looks like they. like are like looping back. Their phones. show continuous movement from Mount. Olive all the way to Benson [music] from. 11:52 p.m. to 1:07 a.m. And 1:07 a.m. is. when their phones finally come to rest.

near where Cole pulled the car over. And. here's what's strange. We know that Cole. and Jeremy get out of the car and walk. away, but it doesn't look like their. phones move. From 1:07 on November 25th. to a little after 3:45 a.m. their phones. just stay put. [music]. Presumably left behind in the car when. they took off. Which like I don't know. why you would leave your phone behind. >> Right. >> But and when confronted with this data, Jeremy and Julian eventually say as much.

that Cole left his phone behind in the. car and ran off. But after they report. Cole missing to police, the phones start moving again, including. Cole's. >> [music]. >> The guys say that what they did is they. called Rudy to come pick them up so that. they had somewhere to stay while they. waited for the locksmith instead of just. like waiting with the car. >> But this is odd, right? Like the fact. that Cole's phone is moving too, not. just like in the car. >> Yes. He's missing at this point and. instead of leaving his phone in the car.

in case he comes back, They take it with. them as they all leave Benson completely. traveling back towards Mount Olive. And just after 4:00 a.m. Cole's phone goes dark. Investigators. suspect that everyone in that group. wised up and eventually turned off. anything tracking their location at that. point. >> That's not good. >> No, especially when you hear what comes. next. Cole's phone does eventually come back.

on. >> [music]. >> hours later. But it's not in Benson where he. supposedly walked off. It is still over in Wayne County. >> Is that where like Mount Olive is where. Rudy is? >> Mount Olive is in Wayne County, yeah. But like Wayne County encompasses more. than just Mount Olive. And all police would tell us was that. Cole's phone was somewhere in Wayne. County. Which means whatever happened to Cole, >> [music].

>> it sounds like it didn't end in Benson. Now at some point when Cole's phone is. turned back on, for some odd reason, Jeremy and Julian. just start repeatedly calling it. >> I mean to make it like look like they. were looking for him maybe? >> Or investigators think it might be that. they were trying to get into the phone. possibly to get rid of stuff. Like maybe. they thought somehow like if if they. could if it was locked right if you. answer it while it's a call could they. break into it? I don't know. Like it's. password protected that's not how it.

works. >> Yeah, that's. >> It doesn't make sense to me, I know. And I don't think they were actually. able to access anything. That's just the. theory that police have. >> [music]. >> So now investigators are looking at a. group of people who had Cole's phone, maybe tried to access it, and didn't. turn it over right away. >> Yeah. >> That sounds a lot like interfering with. an investigation my friend. >> Mhm. >> So fast forward to mid-2017, a grand jury indictments lead to the. arrest of the four guys that they know.

about so far who they believe are. connected to Cole's case. Julian Vias. Jr., Jeremy Carpenter, Rodolfo Deleon. Jr. aka Rudy, and Anthony James Jr. known as T.J. They are all charged with. concealing Cole's death and all but Rudy. also get hit with obstruction of justice. charges. All of the suspects plead not. guilty to all the charges. And this was. more than just like a small win to like. get on the board. This was a strategic. move on behalf of law enforcement.

Police were hoping that. >> [music]. >> separated and maybe under pressure, maybe just maybe the weakest link might. finally break. [music] But even with all. four of these guys in custody, the case. doesn't just magically fall into place. >> [music]. >> It takes some serious legwork and a. dedicated PI to come to the realization. that these four guys. are actually just a piece [music]. of the puzzle, not the whole thing. And.

to even get there, it was dangerous. The PI David had to basically infiltrate. [music] this network of people and his. presence didn't go unnoticed. I mean, once he started learning more and asking. more questions, he says that he started. receiving threats including this. voicemail that he shared with us. >> Look, I'm calling you because I know. you're an investigator for this case. Somebody's supposed to be calling you. today. If they.

don't call you today, I will find out. I want you to answer this phone. at 9:00 tonight. If you don't answer. this phone, it's going to be personal. stuff between me and you. >> David believes that whoever that was who. called him is part of something bigger. And that this was more than just a. one-off drug deal gone wrong. Through all of the conversations that he. has had and the phone data that he's.

mapped out, David starts to piece. together what he now believes may have. been the plan all along. He thinks it's. possible that Julian may have been. double-crossing everyone. >> Meaning what? >> Based on everything David's hearing, Cole. and honestly maybe even Jeremy probably. thought that the plan was simple. They. were going to go there, pay for drugs, [music] bring them back to Minnesota, maybe even sell them to like the guys at.

the job site, but like that's what they. thought. >> Yeah. >> But David believes that maybe Julian was. working with the guys that they met up. with and the plan was actually for them. to sell the guys this like meth and then. somehow, somehow that night steal the. drugs back. >> [music]. >> So, they get paid for the drugs they. sold, but they get to keep their supply. >> Precisely. And according to David, there. are a couple of things that could have. thrown off this whole plan.

First of which is Cole himself. Everyone. we spoke to still believes that when. Cole agreed to drive his co-workers down. to North Carolina, he probably had no. idea the level of danger that he was. actually getting himself into. But according to David, it seems like. Cole may have slowly and surely been. figuring it out, like on the fly. You. see, Julian didn't know something about. Cole. He'd only known him for a month. and might have made some assumptions.

about him. Like for instance, that this. [music] pre-med white kid from rural. Florida only spoke English. But that wasn't the case. And it's very. possible that Cole picked up on the fact. that he was in danger that night before. he was supposed to ever even know. From what we heard, Cole actually knew a. good bit of Spanish. Enough that if. Julian, Rudy, or their guy started.

talking about the real plan around him, Cole might have been able to pick up on. it. >> Which could have been why he was. panicked [music] on that drive back. Like it could have been warranted. >> David believes that could explain why. Cole was so freaked out. Maybe why they. were cutting through Benson to begin. with. Why he didn't just think that they. were being followed. He may have known. that they were being followed. >> And it wasn't the cops he was afraid of. It was the drug dealers following them. >> Potentially. And there's a possibility.

that they didn't even have all of the. drugs to give back to them if the. dealers caught up [music] with them. Cuz. you see, depending on who you talk to, at some point during that drive, apparently some of the drugs got thrown. out of the car. Probably by Cole, possibly by Jeremy. >> Trying to get rid of them? >> Or just like, I don't know. Or they're. scared. I don't know if that's giving. them back, trying to get them off their. hands, something. And David believes that some of the. drugs may have even been hidden by. Julian without everyone knowing. So like.

say they catch up with them, they. realize everything's not actually there, they wouldn't know who had it. But who's. the easiest to blame? The person who. probably tossed the drugs out. The same. person who doesn't really belong there. to begin with. >> Cole. >> Cole. >> And our police [music] bought in with. this David's theory? >> So our reporter Madison asked Chief. Percy about this. And while he says it's. definitely possible, he thinks it's also. possible that whatever went down could.

have been. even way less complicated than double. crossing. But he does think that. whatever happened involved missing. drugs. He said that there's a world. where maybe Julian's boys had fronted. them money for drugs, and then said. drugs were thrown out the window. Well, now someone's got to pay up. >> Mhm. >> It's also possible that harming Cole. wasn't part of the original plan. Chief. Percy says that he got intel that Cole. may have fought back when confronted. about the missing meth, and maybe things.

just escalated from there. But even if. there are multiple possibilities about. what led up to Cole walking away from. the car after 1:00 in the morning, everyone seems to agree on one point. after the fact, that there was likely. someone else there. Someone who. encountered Cole after Jeremy lost sight. of him. According to what David. uncovers, >> [music]. >> there is another guy who keeps popping. up. A guy everyone calls Gordo. And he.

is one of the guys that Julian and Rudy. may have been coordinating [music] with. throughout the night once things took a. turn. So, it sounds like Cole really did. take off like of his own free will. But. then he and Jeremy supposedly get. separated, and then Jeremy thinks he. hears a car door slam, maybe a gun, right? Somewhere like in the distance. >> Right. >> Well, when Cole had first taken off, it. sounds like Julian may have contacted. Rudy, who then gets in touch with some. of his guys, to include Gordo, and they.

set out to try and track Cole down, who. is now on foot, possibly to try to. figure out what happened to their. missing drugs, see if they can find out. where they were tossed, if that is what. happened. >> Mhm. >> The thinking is maybe that car door that. Jeremy heard was real. Maybe they got. Cole into another car, and maybe it was. Gordo's car. David's able to track Gordo. down and gets him to work with the. police, maybe in exchange for some kind. of deal. He talks, he never ends up with.

any charges related to Cole's case. That's simple. >> Mhm. >> Cuz no one else will say a word, and. investigators need someone on the. inside. So, eventually he says, yes, he. was there that night, and he, along with. some other guys, were instructed to find. Cole. Which they did. And for his story, Cole. just gets into the car willingly. >> I doubt that. >> Yeah, PI David knows an already paranoid. Cole ain't going to be getting in the. car with strangers. So, like he keeps.

pressing him when they're having this. conversation. And the story. evolves, like so many of the stories in. this case keep doing. At one point he. says they threaten him with a gun, then. in another version they catch up to him, disorient him by hitting him with a. baseball bat, and they take Cole into. the car with them. >> Okay, but take him where though? >> That's [music] the million-dollar. question. According to Gordo, they are instructed. to take Cole and hold him until the rest. of the guys get back to do whatever.

they're going to do with him, I guess. But he claims that he doesn't know what. happened after that. Whatever it was. can't be good though. >> [music]. >> But does he say where he took Cole to? >> This is the thing, it's not clear. Like. just some guy's house in Wayne County. >> Which is the area where the phone was. >> Right. Now, here's where things get. tricky though. Investigators get a warrant for the car. in question that he was supposedly like. transported in. They search it. They're looking for.

blood, DNA, anything that could confirm. this story that Gordo is telling. They. don't [music] end up finding anything. definitive. So, they're still seemingly. not telling the whole truth. Cole's dad, Chris, and the PI, David, feel so close, yet so far. And they know what they really need is. one of those like core four to flip. They believe that they know what. happened. So, they They thinking outside.

of the box. Like, how do we get someone. to finally give it up? And what they. come up with is out of the box and has. to be. >> [music]. >> so painful for Cole's dad. They decide. to hone in on T.J. Because compared to. the others, he doesn't seem as deeply. tied into this drug scene. Not. necessarily totally innocent, but. maybe less culpable. So, Chris makes the decision. David is a. PI and a bondsman. And Chris puts up the.

money, essentially taking on the risk of. bonding out someone who may have been. involved in whatever happened to his own. son to get him out of prison. To get him away from the other three. guys who are tied up in this. The thinking being that maybe if you can. separate him, he could [music] think for. himself. >> Yeah. >> Save himself if he was given the chance. >> [music]. >> So, they free T.J. And for a little while, it actually. seems like it might work. Because once.

he's away from the others, he is willing. to do a long sit-down with them. David. recorded this conversation, legally I. might add. North Carolina is a one-party. consent state. And Cole's family shared. that audio with us. So, here's T.J. >> Only thing I know. is that he. uh. He went when. the um. When Cole was got missing. He got missing. [clears throat].

I don't know where he is at. I really. don't know. I don't know where he where they did. with him. >> He's sort of hinting something went. wrong. They already knew that. >> Mhm. >> He just won't say what. But minute by. minute, you can tell that something's. slowly shifting, though. And at a. certain point, they decide to bring in. someone else. Kathy. Cole's mom. Thinking that maybe she can appeal more. to his emotions, convince him to tell.

the whole truth. And when she sits down. with him, she doesn't come in all. aggressive or angry. She just talks to him as a mom asking. about her son, >> [music]. >> asking what happened, trying to get him. to understand what this has done to. their family. >> so hard. >> And according to what they described, this is when they sense that TJ is. starting to break. And he doesn't tell [music] them. everything, but he does say. something. Something that [music] sticks.

>> He's [snorts] gone. What did they do to him, TJ? Tell him. He's gone, y'all. >> This makes it feel. all the more real. Now they know what. everyone already suspected, but they. won't get to know any more. >> [music]. >> cuz TJ won't go much further. They get. fragments, but nothing that could. actually hold up in court. [music]. And that continues to be the pattern. with just about everyone connected to.

this case. People talk, but only to a point. And so far no one is willing to give. this family what they really need, proof or even a body to bury. All four men served some time, but. eventually the concealment and. obstruction charges against TJ, Anthony. James Jr., and Rudy, Rodolfo De Leon. Jr., Julian Vaiz Jr., [music] and Jeremy. Carpenter, they all end up getting dropped. According to Chief Percy, this was done.

at least in part to avoid compromising. any potential future homicide. prosecutions. Now we tried reaching out. to everyone named in this episode, every. which way we could think of, >> [music]. >> but as of this recording, we haven't. heard back. Julian Vaiz Jr. is currently behind bars. on drug charges unrelated to Cole's. case. Still, we sent him a message. So. far no response. And unfortunately, we. will never be able to talk to Jeremy. Carpenter. Per an online obituary, he.

passed away in 2024. Now, some people believe that Jeremy may. have been in the same boat as Cole, that. he was just as surprised by the turn. that things took. And that everything he. did that night, his silence and the. evolving stories that followed were out. of both fear and survival. But it means. that we will never be able to ask him. the one question we have for everyone in. this case. Where's Cole? Because when it comes to that detail, the part that matters most,

everyone conveniently claims they just. don't know. That whatever happened next. happened in secret. But with this many people possibly. involved, with some of their phones. moving together, that's hard for me to. believe. Because somebody knows where. Cole is, and it's time that they say it. out loud before the data does the. talking for them. Because no one is done. with this case. Not Cole's parents, not. Benson PD. They are on a mission, and.

they might be closer than ever to. answers. >> [music]. >> So if there ever was a deal to be made, I think someone's running out of time to. make it. So if anyone out there knows what. happened to Christopher Cole Thomas, you. can contact the Benson Police Department. at 919-894-2091. Or you can email info@bensonpd.org. You can also contact the North Carolina. State Bureau of Investigation at. 919-779-8188.