Snapped season 35 episode 7: A detailed case overview of Martre Coles' murder
Season 35 episode 7 of Snapped on Oxygen will replay the 2017 murder of Martre Coles. Coles was an aspiring young artist, who was murdered, and his body was thrown out in a plastic container near an industrial park.
The episode that will center on the gruesome murder is titled Denise Gay. It will air on Oxygen on February 23, 2025, at 6 pm ET.
To know more about this homicide, follow along.
Snapped season 35 episode 7: Case analysis of the 2017 murder of Martre Coles
Background
As mentioned above, the upcoming episode of Snapped titled Denise Gay, will delve into the murder of Martre Coles, a 19-year-old boy, who was murdered on March 12, 2017. His body was discovered by a passer in a wooded area out of Henrico on April 2, 2017. It took thirteen months for Martre to get justice.
About the crime
Martre Coles had been dealing with a lot since his mother died in 2014, and then a hip surgery, at the tender age of 16. Martre’s father Maurice Coles started dating his co-worker Denise Gay, who eventually moved into Maurice’s house with her 9-year-old volatile daughter, Alana.
This 9-year-old once stabbed Martre Cole with a pair of scissors that wounded his shoulder blade, but the situation was hidden by Denise from Martre’s father.
As per Oxygen, in March 2017, Martre Coles received an email inviting him to explore the school of Full Sail University in Florida for his Advancing Art. Taking this offer as an opportunity to run away from his tumultuous situation, Martre headed to the bus station on March 12, 2017.
According to his girlfriend, Ashlyn Knight, and his two sisters, Marqweisha Cole and Michelle Cole, Martre was last seen heading to the bus stop. Marqweisha Cole and Michelle Cole, anxious about their brother, went to areas he frequently visited in anticipation of finding him. They worried that Martre's depressive state might have led him to do something dreadful.
Martre Coles's disappearance subsequently took a turn for the worse, when his girlfriend and sisters analyzed the email sent by Full Sail University and questioned its legitimacy. It came from a Gmail account, which is not typical for an academic institution. Martre's sisters then investigated the matter and realized that the invitation to explore the institution was fraudulent.
According to Oxygen, Marqweisha and Michelle wanted to file a missing persons report but their father Maurice believed it was too early because Martre was an adult and had likely gone on a personal trip.
Three weeks later, on April 2, 2017, a worker walking by a forested area near an industrial park out of Henrico noticed an abnormally large plastic container, and when he got closer, he saw a shoe peeking out. When he pushed open the container, he saw the dead body of a young kid and quickly contacted 911. The police arrived at the crime scene which was about 5 miles away from Martre’s house.
According to Oxygen, authorities identified the victim as Martre Coles, who was described as being folded up “like an accordion.” An autopsy report concluded that his death was caused by a loss of oxygen. His body also has traces of drugs such as Trazadone and GHB, which reportedly slow down breathing.
While investigating the crime, officials discovered a prior allegation filed on March 31, 2017, by 13-year-old Alana, who informed detectives that she witnessed her mother Denise Gay, and sister LaToya murder Martre.
Her account was not taken into consideration at the time, considering her history of troubles. However, when Martre Coles' body was discovered, Alana's account was reassessed. The primary concern for authorities remained as to why they had killed the 19-year-old kid.
Authorities looked closer into Denise's past and learned that she had a string of offenses and had been arrested for fraud for passing fraudulent checks. Soon Martre’s family members became suspects. Authorities came up with a plan to not disclose that Martre’s body had been discovered to the family, pretending as though they were still working to find him.
Authorities re-interviewed Martre's sisters and took DNA swabs for examination. They also spoke to Denise and LaToya and kept track of them after the interview. Authorities added security cameras near the crime scene hoping to find the killer. This strategy worked out as the camera captured Denise Gay getting out of a car.
Officials also discovered that Denise had access to the drugs detected in Martre's system, and evidence against her quickly accumulated. Forensics specialists then determined that the fraudulent Full Sail University email to Martre Coles was created and sent from Denise's computer.
Denise Gay was arrested and charged with second-degree murder on April 10, 2017.
Resolution
Denise, 49, and LaToya, 22, both faced charges for Martre Coles' murder. Alana, the prosecution's key witness, stated that she heard Martre cry while at home and saw Denise and LaToya sitting on top of him, pinning him down.
Allegedly, Martre was kicking his feet up and struggling. Alana also claimed she saw a plaster on his head. Her mother then asked her to leave. She later recalled seeing them move a plastic container into the kitchen. The prosecution claimed that Denise and LaToya premeditated the murder for months before carrying it out.
The jury found Denise guilty of conspiracy to commit murder. This led to a retrial which was scheduled in April 2018. Maurice Cole, who did not cooperate in the initial trial, completely changed and went against Denise by handing in her phone. The phone containing evidence of text messages and a search history about decomposing bodies helped the case.
Aftermath
According to Oxygen, during the retrial on April 20, 2018, prosecutors alleged that Denise placed Martre Coles in a container and "threw him out like trash." Denise was convicted of first-degree murder in April 2018 and sentenced to life in prison in July 2018.
In a separate trial, LaToya Gay was sentenced to 20 years for murder and 10 years for conspiracy for her involvement in the crime.
Denise and LaToya are currently detained at the Fluvanna Correctional Center for Women in Troy, Virginia. LaToya, who pled guilty, will be released on May 26, 2043.
To learn more about this case watch the upcoming episode of Snapped on Oxygen on February 23 at 6 pm ET.
