In the July 3 issue of The Madill Record , it was reported that Christopher Bridenthal, a 37-year-old male from Kingston, was charged with Possession of a Firearm After the Formal Conviction of a Felony in connection with the death of Donald Cole . On November 10, there was an added charge of Second-Degree Murder.
When Bridenthal was initially arrested, he was booked into the Marshall County Jail and was being held without bond. The Marshall County Sheriffs Department requested the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigations to step in and investigate the homicide. Agents interviewed witnesses and determined that Bridenthal shot Cole at the residence.
However, the story was not so cut and dry. There were conflicting stories about the incident. Randi Rud, who is also facing charges for the incident, called 911 and reported that a man tried to break into her house and Bridenthal shot the alleged intrudcer.
Upon arriving on scene, deputies found Cole dead in the yard from a gunshot wound to the head. Officers recovered a 9mm handgun outside the home, but there was no evidence of the alleged break-in. However, officers did find another firearm and three grams of cocaine.
One witness, Jeremy Bishop, told investigators that Rudd called him two night in a row and said she and Bridenthal were fighting. Bishop then said he and Cole drove to Rud's home to help her. When the duo arrived, Bishop alleged that Bridenthal exited the residence and shot Cole in the head.
Bishop also alleged that he overheard Rud tell Bridenthal that she would claim self defense and take responsibiity for shooting Cole. Rud then told officers that Bridenthal was previously in a fight at a bar earlier that night. She thought the other person involved in the fight knew Bishop.
Bridenthal's account was completely different from Bishiop's and Rud's. He alleged that he received threatening phone calls from Bishop earlier in the evening. When the 'strange car' arrived at the residence, he went outside to investigate. Bridenthal alleged that Cole jumped out of the shadows and punched him in the head. He also claimed that the gun accidentally dishcharged during the scuffle.
Bridenthal's preliminary hearing is scheduled for December 30.
Another Kingston resident will be serving time in a federal prison. Ashley Castleberry-Miller, a 31-year-old from Kingston, pleaded guilty to Involuntary Manslaughter. Castleberry-Miller was involved in an fatal accident in April 2024. According to investigators, she was under the influence and crossed the center line, striking one person. She was sentenced to four years and is currently being held at a facility awating to be transferred to a federal prison to begin her sentence.