Cochran was last seen in Sutton, West Virginia on August 20, 2019. She lived with her mother. Her mother went to work that day and when she returned, Cochran was gone and all her belongings were left behind. She left a handwritten note saying, "Mom, I took off for a little while. I'm in good hands, I promise. Be back shortly, please don't worry, no need to. Call if you need me. Love you, Chan."

Authorities learned she was picked up from her mother's home that afternoon by Kristopher Speas and they went to the Birch River area of Nicholas County, perhaps to sell drugs. They went to the home of a man named Sam Kelly, who said he last saw them around midnight. He said he saw Speas and Cochran leave his residence on foot, in the direction of the fire department.

Cochran has never been heard from again and her cellular phone was turned off around midnight on the day of her disappearance. Not long after she disappeared, someone found her change purse with her identification in the woods near Birch River.

After Cochran went missing, Speas was arrested on unrelated charges of failure to register as a sexual offender. A photo of him is posted with this case summary. He is now in prison.

Speas maintains he was under the influence of drugs on the night Cochran disappeared and does not remember the events clearly, but he maintains his innocence in her disappearance. He has been interviewed multiple times about Cochran's case, but hasn't provided any useful information.