Yellowstone actor Mo Brings Plenty has expressed profound distress and frustration over the unresolved death of his nephew, Cole Brings Plenty, stating that the investigation has been inadequate and the killer remains at large. In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the 56-year-old star, who currently appears alongside Luke Grimes in the Yellowstone spinoff series Marshals, described the situation as heartbreaking, alleging that authorities have not pursued the case with sufficient vigour.
Heartbreak Over Uninvestigated Death
Mo Brings Plenty emphasised the emotional toll of his nephew's death, which occurred two years ago when Cole was just 27 years old. Cole, who played shepherd Pete Plenty Clouds in the Yellowstone prequel 1923, has been the subject of widespread media coverage since his passing. Mo criticised the police for writing off the death as involving no foul play without a thorough investigation, remarking, "For his murder to go uninvestigated, and for it to be written off as 'no foul play,' because they didn't want to invest anything into it? It's heartbreaking." He added that as taxpaying citizens, his family deserves the same level of police effort as anyone else.
Family Bonds and Police Response
Reflecting on their close relationship, Mo shared that Cole was like a son to him, deepening the pain of the loss. He accused law enforcement of not putting much effort into the case, claiming, "They weren't even really looking for him. They were hunting him." This statement refers to events in March 2024, when a warrant was issued for Cole's arrest after he fled an alleged domestic violence incident. At that time, Mo and his Yellowstone co-star Cole Hauser appealed to the public for help in locating the missing actor.
Timeline of Cole's Disappearance and Death
The circumstances surrounding Cole's death began to unfold on March 31, 2024, when he left his apartment building early in the morning. Driving his white Ford Explorer, he travelled 20 miles to a Kwik Shop gas station in Baldwin City, then proceeded to another gas station in rural Gardner, where he stopped at a TA Express minimart. A manager there reported that Cole appeared fidgety and distressed before purchasing groceries and departing.
His vehicle was later discovered a few hundred yards away, parked deep within a construction site near a wooded area, out of public view. On April 5, 2024, a worker at the site noticed the SUV, peered inside, and saw blood, prompting a call to the police. Cole's body was found a short distance away in Edgerton, Kansas, approximately 28 miles from his last known location, after a four-day search.
Police Conclusions and Community Impact
Detectives questioned individuals at the apartment building, gas stations, and construction site, suggesting to some that the death was a suspected suicide. Lawrence Kansas Police Chief Rich Lockhart announced that no evidence of foul play was found, stating, "None of us could have imagined this outcome." He acknowledged the need for improved trust with the Native American community, saying, "I learned through this series of events that our Police Department must work harder to increase trust with our Native American community members."
Despite this, Mo Brings Plenty remains sceptical, asserting, "Because I saw his body, I saw the evidence that is there, that someone caught him. So for them to say that there was nothing, I can't believe that. I still can't." Cole was buried in a traditional Sioux ceremony in South Dakota, but the cause of death was never publicly released, leaving many questions unanswered for the grieving family.
