Chase Cox
Introduction
Chase Cox is a 33-year-old man from Covington, Kentucky, and a suspended attorney who was indicted by a federal grand jury on November 12, 2026, for murder for hire and making a false statement to federal investigators . According to the indictment, between approximately September 25, 2026, and November 3, 2026, Cox allegedly used the mail and a facility of interstate commerce in an effort to arrange the murder of a victim identified in court records only as R.B., in a scheme involving the promise or agreement to pay at least $500 for the killing . Cox is scheduled to be arraigned in federal court on December 9, 2026, and faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted .
Background Information
Cox was already serving a five-year prison sentence at the time of the federal indictment: the Kentucky Department of Corrections shows he was sentenced in March 2026 after being convicted of retaliating against someone involved in a legal case . WLWT reported that he is a suspended Northern Kentucky attorney, and that the alleged murder-for-hire conduct took place in Campbell County . The federal case was jointly announced by U.S. Attorney Jason Parman of the Eastern District of Kentucky, ATF Special Agent in Charge John Nokes of the Louisville Field Division, and FBI Special Agent in Charge Olivia Olson of the Louisville Field Office .
The Controversy or Incident That Led to Their Cancellation
Indicted for murder for hire and lying to the FBI and ATF. The allegations are unproven and he has not been tried.
The indictment alleges that from roughly September 25 to November 3, 2026, Cox used the mail and interstate commerce facilities in an effort to arrange the murder of R.B., with a promise or agreement to pay at least $500 in exchange for the killing . It further alleges that on October 8, 2026, Cox knowingly made a materially false statement to FBI and ATF investigators: asked whether there was any reason to believe he posed a threat to the victim, he denied any intent to cause harm, saying he would never hurt the individual — and, per the indictment as reported by WLWT, “No, I love [him/her] with all my heart, I would never put [him/her] in harm’s way” . Prosecutors allege that statement was false because Cox was at that time attempting to have R.B. murdered on his behalf . The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the ATF and the FBI .
Public Reaction and Consequences
U.S. Attorney Jason Parman said the allegations describe “an especially disturbing effort to arrange the murder of an individual and then conceal that intent through false statements to federal investigators,” adding that threats of violence and attempts to carry them out would be aggressively investigated . ATF Special Agent in Charge John Nokes said conspiring to commit murder and lying to federal agents are serious offenses . FBI Special Agent in Charge Olivia Olson said the charges should remind anyone planning violence in the community “that justice will find you” . Local coverage identified Cox as a suspended attorney already serving a five-year state sentence for retaliation against a participant in a legal case .
Current Status
Cox remains charged but untried, and the indictment is an accusation only; he is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt . He is scheduled to be arraigned in federal court in Covington on December 9, 2026 . The murder-for-hire count carries up to 10 years, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release, while the false-statement count carries up to 5 years, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release, for a combined exposure of up to 15 years . The indictment was presented to the grand jury by Assistant U.S. Attorney Drew Spievack .
Impact on Their Career/Life
The federal indictment ends any realistic prospect of Cox resuming the law practice his suspension already interrupted: a 33-year-old former attorney now facing murder-for-hire charges while serving a five-year state prison term for retaliating against someone in a legal case . A conviction on the federal counts would stack up to 15 additional years in prison, $500,000 in combined fines, and supervised release onto his existing sentence . His case has been publicized by the U.S. Attorney’s Office as an example of aggressive investigation of attempted violence in the Eastern District of Kentucky .