Woman Kills Father-in-Law, Googles How Long Before Body Smells, Then Takes Family Vacation: Prosecutor

The Zanesville Police Department responded on February 10 just after 10:30 p.m. to a 911 call about a body in a shed, according to a press release from Muskingum County Prosecutor Ron Welch. Upon arrival, they found the body of David Cole Sr., 80, wrapped in a tarp and plastic mattress cover.

An initial autopsy of the body, which was in an advanced state of decay, by the Licking County Coroner's Office, suspected natural causes for his death, but further investigation uncovered a much more sinister and disturbing story.

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

According to the press release, Brittany ultimately confessed to how she set about about to kill her father-in-law, David Sr., on Christmas Eve 2024 with a "lethal combination of medications."

She said she gave him a combination of three Tylenol 3 tablets with codeine and a lot of ZzzQuil at around 9:30 p.m., according to Fox affiliate WJW. When he complained of pain at 11 p.m., Brittany said she gave him another combination dose, telling authorities she knew "it would be fatal," per the release.

As part of her confession, Brittany said she went to bed after this second dose, and awakened to find David Sr. dead at 5 a.m. on Christmas morning.

The medication used was "sourced from her daughter’s dental prescription and a household cabinet," according to the release, and were recovered by investigators as evidence.

While it's unclear how much Brittany's immediate family may have known about what happened that night, the Muskingum County Prosecutor's press release details that Brittany was "instructing family members to lie and say David Cole Sr. had moved to Cincinnati."

In the course of their investigation, authorities uncovered an unsettling Google search by Brittany where she researched on December 25, "When someone dies how long does it take for the body to start smelling," per the release.

Then, on December 26, she and the family headed out for a weeklong family vacation to Orlando, Florida, leaving David Sr.'s body in the bedroom where he had died.

According to the release, the victim's son, David Jr., "discovered the body while Brittany was at school," on January 8, 2025, as revealed on security camera footage seen by investigators. But he, too, did not call authorities.

Instead, per prosecutors, the investigation uncovered text messages between husband and wife discussing the decomposing body and their plans to move it. Investigators also found that David Jr. had ordered a mattress cover from Amazon Prime.

The couple allegedly wrapped the body in a tarp and this mattress bag, moving it "first to the sunroom and later to the shed, where it remained until discovered." It is not clear if David Jr. knew at this point that his father had been killed.

As for a possible motive for the killing, investigators determined that it was financial, as David Sr. was the recipient of a $2,300 monthly Social Security check. This check was deposited into an account managed by David Jr., who had Power of Attorney over his father.

After David Sr.'s death, the couple "continued to receive and spend these funds," primarily for household bills and expenses, per the prosecutor's office.

"Brittany Cole’s actions reflect a shocking betrayal of trust," said Welch. "She not only ended her father-in-law’s life but then exploited his death for financial gain, hiding the truth for weeks while manipulating her family. This case underscores the devastating impact of elder abuse and the importance of protecting vulnerable individuals."

"Brittany Cole’s guilty plea today closes a tragic chapter for the Cole family. Her sentence -- life with parole eligibility after sixteen years -- reflects the severity of her crimes," he continued.

Charges are still pending against David Jr. for his involvement in the coverup of his father's death, per CBS affiliate WKBN. He is looking at two counts of tampering with evidence, processing criminal tools, obstructing official business, and endangering children.