Man accused of killing mom, keeping body in motel for weeks

PLEASANT VALLEY, N.Y. (AP) — A New York man has been accused of strangling his mother, stashing her body in a motel room for nearly two months and then dumping it in South Carolina.

New York state police arrested 48-year-old Charles R. Cole on Friday.

Police say Cole strangled his 76-year-old mother, Betty Cole, on Aug. 16 at the Pleasant Valley Motel.

Police say Charles Cole lived in Pleasant Valley and kept his mother's body in the motel for seven weeks. They say he then drove it to Lodge, South Carolina, and left it in a secluded area.

Cole has been arraigned on a murder charge and jailed without bail. His wife, Ronalda Cole, faces a charge of tampering with evidence.

They can't be reached for comment by telephone. Information on their attorneys is unavailable.