| Sources |
- [S113] Manes Funeral Home, (http://www.manesfuneralhome.com), 20 Jun 2008.
Julia Cody obituary
- [S4] Knoxville News-Sentinel (Tennessee), 26 Apr 2016.
Man indicted in Cocke County woman’s death
McKinley Lane Cody, 19, of Newport, Tenn. (Photo: TBI)
Lora Hale Costner (Facebook)
Fourth District Attorney General Jimmy Dunn announces during a news conference, Monday, March 14, 2016, at the the Cocke County Courthouse, that the human remains found last week in Cocke County belong to Lora Hale Costner, who went missing on Jan. 7.
Joyce Hale talks about her sister, Lora Hale Costner, after Monday's news conference. "We were so afraid that she would never be found," Hale said.
By News Sentinel Staff
A 19-year-old Newport, Tenn., man has been indicted in the killing of a Cocke County woman whose remains were discovered last month, authorities said.
A Cocke County grand jury returned indictments Monday charging McKinley Lane Cody with first-degree felony murder, robbery, second-degree murder and abuse of a corpse in the death of Lora Hale Costner, 42,, according to a Tennessee Bureau of Investigation news release.
Cocke County Sheriff Armando Fontes said in a release Cody was a "person of interest" from the beginning of the investigation, and he quickly became the primary suspect.
The sheriff said the case revolved around prescription pain medication.
Costner died from blunt force trauma to the back of her head, Fontes said.
"Our investigation revealed that McKinley Cody was the last person seen with Lora Costner, McKinley took measures to conceal the body, took measures to burn and destroy evidence and stole personal property belonging to Lora Costner, which included prescription medication," he said. "I want to thank members of our community for providing information and support while we worked to investigate this case. Our thoughts and prayers are continued for the family and friends affected by this tragedy."
Costner was reported missing Jan. 7. Her remains were discovered March 10 near Lane Drive, between Newport and Cosby.
Fontes said Costner's remains were found on the property of Jerry Cody. According to the Newport Plain Talk newspaper, Jerry Cody is McKinley Cody's grandfather.
The Plain Talk reports McKinley Cody was arrested March 7, along with his mother, Kathy Cody Williams, and two other people on charges of a conspiracy to introduce Suboxone pills, a prescription drug used to relieve opiate cravings, into the Cocke County jail.
Williams was fired in 2013 from her job as Cocke County's E-911 director following her indictment on a charge of official misconduct by using the Tennessee driver's license database for personal use.
McKinley Cody remained jailed Tuesday in lieu of $1 million bond.
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Abt 1997 - (~ 27 years)