He Was SEEN On Camera... #truecrimeshorts #truecrimestories #crimejunkies #podcast | Forensic Files

Cole was actually in Benson, like a 5-minute walk from where the car was left, just like Julian and Jeremy said.
Except, >> [music] >> he didn't run off alone. In the footage, Cole is just walking, and there's
someone following on foot right behind him. At exactly 1:10 a.m. in the top middle of the screen,
you can see two figures, >> [music] >> 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. 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, >> [music] >> 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.

In the disappearance of Christopher “Cole” Thomas, his coworkers told police he ran off alone into the night after pulling over in Benson, North Carolina.

But surveillance footage later showed something different. Video captured Cole walking near where the car was abandoned, with one of the men traveling with him.

For investigators, the footage was a major turning point because it proved the original story was not completely true.

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Brief Summary

Surveillance footage reveals Cole was not alone when he left, contradicting earlier claims from his companions.

Key points

Cole's Location Revealed. Cole was found to be in Benson, just a short walk from the car.
Surveillance Footage Discovery. Footage shows Cole walking with Jeremy, contradicting earlier claims.

Episode quotes

Cole was actually in Benson, like a 5-minute walk from where the car was.

WatchMay 25, 2026

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