Chris Bridenthal, a 38-year-old from Kingston, was facing charges for Second-Degree Murder and Possession of a Firearm After the Formal Conviction of a Felony. In a jury trial that lasted from September 21 to September 23, 2026, Bridenthal was found guilty on both charges.
The incident occurred on June 28, 2025. There were several versions of what happened when law officials investigated.
Randi Rud, the alleged co-conspirator in the case, called 911 to report that somebody tried to break into their house and Bridenthal shot the alleged intruder.
When officers arrived on scene, they found Donald Cole deceased on the lawn from a gunshot wound to the head. Officers did not find any evidence of a break in, but they did find a 9mm outside, another firearm inside and narcotics.
Jerry Bishop, a witness to the incident, told officers that Rud called him a few nights in a row prior to the incident and told him that she and Bridenthal were fighting. Allegedly, Bishop and Cole headed to the residence to help Rud.
Bishop said that when they arrived, Bridenthal walked outside and shot Cole in the head. Bishop told officers that he overheard Rud tell Bridenthal that she would take responsibility for the shooting and claim self-defense. Then, Rud told officers that Bridenthal was in a bar fight earlier that night and she believed that Bishop was involved in the altercation.
Bridenthal spun a completely different story to officers. He said he had been receiving threatening phone calls from Bishop earlier in the evening. He said he saw a strange car pull up in his driveway and went outside to investigate.
Bridenthal then alleged that Cole “jumped out of the shadows and punched him in the head.” He then tried to allege that the gun accidentally went off during the scuffle.
Neither Bridenthal’s nor Rud’s accounts could be verified because when Cole was found, he was in the yard nowhere near the residence entry. He also had a single gunshot wound to the head behind the area of his right ear; not really a spot someone would get shot during a “scuffle”.
Sentencing for Bridenthal is scheduled for October 7, 2026. The jury recommends life for the Second-Degree Murder conviction and 10 years for the Possession of a Firearm AFCF conviction.
Rud, a 33-year-old from Kingston is facing charges for Accessory to Second-Degree Murder. Her hearing is scheduled for February 16, 2027.