Overview of MISSING: Christopher “Cole” Thomas
This Crime Junkie episode follows the disappearance of 22-year-old Christopher “Cole” Thomas, who vanished in rural North Carolina in the early hours of Black Friday 2016 after traveling with two co-workers, Julian Valles Jr. and Jeremy Carpenter. What initially sounded like a spontaneous runaway case quickly became a tangled investigation involving shifting stories, surveillance footage, phone data, suspected drug trafficking, and multiple men who appeared to know far more than they admitted.
What Happened to Cole Thomas
- On Thanksgiving night in 2016, Cole was traveling with Julian and Jeremy from Minnesota toward North Carolina.
- Around 3 a.m. in Benson, NC, Julian and Jeremy told police that Cole had suddenly panicked, pulled over, jumped out of the car, and run off.
- They claimed they couldn’t find him and said they didn’t know why he left.
- Police initially treated it as a missing-person situation, not a crime.
A troubling detail: Julian and Jeremy did not contact Cole’s family themselves. Cole’s parents only learned he was missing after police in North Carolina called them days later.
The Drug Deal Story Emerges
Cole’s father, Chris Thomas, tracked down Cole’s apprentice supervisor, Stephen, who revealed a very different version of events:
- The trip was not a Thanksgiving getaway.
- Julian and Jeremy had gone to North Carolina to buy meth.
- Cole may have been caught in the middle of a deal that went bad.
That revelation sent Cole’s parents driving from Florida to North Carolina to search for him themselves.
Evidence That Changed the Case
Investigators and Cole’s family pieced together a stronger timeline using surveillance footage and phone records.
Surveillance Footage
Police found video from a Handymart in Mount Olive, NC, showing Cole, Julian, and Jeremy together shortly before midnight.
Later, a Walmart/ Walgreens-area camera in Benson showed:
- Cole walking on foot in the early morning hours
- Jeremy following behind him
- This proved Cole had not simply vanished alone
Phone Data
A private investigator working for the family mapped cell data and found:
- The group traveled from Mount Olive to Benson together
- Their phones appeared to stay with the car after Cole and Jeremy walked away
- Cole’s phone later resurfaced in Wayne County, not Benson
- Julian and Jeremy’s phones appeared to keep moving with others connected to the drug deal
That data strongly suggested a larger group was involved.
Conflicting Accounts and Suspected Motive
As police confronted Julian and Jeremy, their stories kept changing:
- First: Cole ran off because he was paranoid
- Then: he thought police were following them
- Later: they admitted the trip was for meth
- Later still: Jeremy claimed Cole walked off near a church, then disappeared while he prayed
- He later said he may have heard a car door or even gunshots
The private investigator, David Marshburn, and Cole’s family believe the trip may have involved a failed drug transaction, a double-cross, or an effort to recover missing meth.
Key Theory
A leading theory is that:
- Cole realized something was wrong
- Drugs were missing or thrown out of the car
- Others in the group pursued him after he left the vehicle
- Someone may have forced him into another car or harmed him
A man nicknamed “Gordo” eventually admitted he was part of the effort to find Cole, though his account changed repeatedly too.
Legal Outcome
- Four men were charged in connection with the case:
- Julian Valles Jr.
- Jeremy Carpenter
- Rudolfo de Leon Jr. (“Rudy”)
- Anthony James Jr. (“TJ”)
- They were charged with concealing Cole’s death, and most also faced obstruction charges.
- All pleaded not guilty.
- The charges were later dropped, reportedly to preserve the possibility of future homicide charges.
Despite the arrests, no one has been convicted of causing Cole’s disappearance or death, and his remains have not been found.
Where the Case Stands Now
- Jeremy Carpenter died in 2024.
- Julian Valles Jr. is incarcerated on unrelated drug charges.
- Cole’s family and Benson police still want answers.
- The central question remains unanswered: What happened to Christopher “Cole” Thomas after he got out of the car?
How to Help
If you have information, contact:
- Benson Police Department: 919-894-2091
- Email: info@BensonPD.org
- North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation: 919-779-8188
The episode closes with a strong plea: someone knows what happened to Cole, and investigators believe time is running out for the truth to come out.