Sheri Coleman, sons Garett and Gavin murdered 5-5-09, Columbia, IL. Pt1

[pres101]

(1) If your family is getting death threats you don't go to the gym and leave them home alone. You just don't.

(2) If their house was being watched by an intruder he would have known the families schedule. He would have done the killing when the husband was at work all night not in a rushed moment on a Tue. morning. This time of year the family should have been getting the kids ready for school that time of morning. Meaning that they were not all three vulnerable to being attacked by a stranger.

(3) Screaming, hollering and rolling on the ground upon discovery is overreaction. Stunned, throwing up and feeling like you are going to pass out would be more normal. Rolling on the ground could also contaminate clothing and evidence giving some hot-shot lawyer an angle for jury doubt. (just a thought)

Additional info. The family is involved in a cult by any definition. Joyce Meyers Ministry has become just that. Joyce has the hierarchy of a cult. Lavish spending and perks for herself and private inner circle. If it were all built by God as she claims then it would be something that no person could ever take away. If that were the case there would be no paranoia or need for armed security 24/7. Jesus never had them. The Apostle Paul didn't either. Joyce Meyer Ministries doesn't even come close to what either them has done. Yet she needs body guards to ease her own paranoia. Part of the ministry is being willing to lay down your life and even becoming a martyr if needed. Apparently Joyce is not willing to do that.

Chris Coleman was raised in a charismatic non-denominational church of his fathers. Basically a church with no real oversight where the pastor makes up the rules and their application as he goes. Grace Church as it is now called has emulated Joyce Meyers to the point of Chris' mother even fixing her hair and trying to dress and sound like Joyce. When Chris finished his time with the Marines Joyce gave him a job as a favor to her faithful followers in Chester, IL.

In such an environment some people come to the point that they just snap. I hope I am wrong but that is what might have happened here.

Years ago I attended Grace Bible Church in Chester, IL and knew Chris as a small boy. After a while I realized what was going on and could not stomach the fake name it and claim it get rich quick scheme that many so called ministries are.

 

[SuziQ]

Pres101, Welcome to WS! And thank you for your personal insight.

 

[pres101]

SusiQ. Like I said, I hope I am wrong.

 

[Wrinkles]

Hello SeriouslySearching (and smooch, long time no communicate!)

You wrote:
>>He reminds me of Mark Hacking for some reason. <<

I wish that I could say that I had not had the same thought, but I sure did. There was a same feel, same look maybe? -- and it disturbs me. Looks can be deceiving, but I really do hear you.

I would really REALLY like to think that this guy -- given that wife and those children as his gifts (or any for that matter) -- could not do this, but I am struggling.

Maybe one of the things that I am really thinking is, why not the husband dead too? Why would anyone want to threaten this family? Why would anyone want to take out the wife and two children, to punish the husband in some way? Well...and that takes us on a number of routes, husband cheated (or threatened) with another guy's wife and so he is getting back at him? Or husband did some type of security that snared illegal deals or... There are any number of mind frames that we could go to -- but why isn't just the husband dead, after having come out of the gym? Why would someone angry at the husband not make this killing really ugly to torch him, if they were so angry -- but then maybe this wasn't soft kill?

Again, the ugly...and 3 lovely people as victims...sickening.

W

 

[mrs.kravitz]

He reminds me of Mark Hacking for some reason.

I was thinking the same thing last night.

As for why Joyce Meyer would need protection, why wouldnt she? There are a lot of nutjobs out there that shoot people in public places, and lots of them tend to lean towards religious targets. My church has an armed guard and thank God for it. With the size that it is, it would attract an idiot with a gun looking to do harm to someone. Who's to say why and who needs security, in this day and age havent we seen many examples of senseless random violence? I think the dad's alibi stinks, I think he just may be guilty, but to incriminate Joyce's ministry or to call it a cult is wrong.

 

[SleuthyMama]

Got a bad feeling this story has an ending we have all seen waaaay too many times before. Husband isn't at work when he is supposed to be, has an "alibi" for where he was, wants someone else to find the bodies, changes have been made to the deed/mortgage....I could go on and on.

My gut says there were financial issues, he was having an affair with someone younger who either didn't want children or wanted her own with him, he was so "christian" he couldn't deal with the fallout of divorcing his wife and leaving his kids for someone else and pow...there you have it. Rest is history.

Hope I'm wrong but I don't think so. I'm realizing that the longer I am a member of WS, I can read some of these stories and immediately know the outcome.

 

[2XL]

Does not look good for Christopher.I find it very interesting the wifes name was taken off house months ago, and if he was worried about his family he should have went home instead of the gym.Don't men watch tru tv? if they did they would see how they all get caught. Don't they realize divorce is alot better then killing your wife and children.I hope I am wrong but I doubt it.

I am not so concerned about the wife's name not being ton the house. They may have refinanced the house and his credit etc was better and him and his info only was used.

 

[SeriouslySearching]

Great to see you posting again, Wrinkles~ :blowkiss:

I think the red flags are there in this case. We see it too frequently to let those clues pass by without a second look. Chris is acting very suspicious and the circumstances are mounting against him. For a man who owns a video surveillance company and is chief of security, his family appears to have been in the most danger from inside the home instead of from a stranger, imo. (There goes his side business which sounds as if it was in jeopardy anyway and perhaps why they were in financial trouble. It also explains the items in his suv.)

The threats against the family were said to be directed towards his association with Joyce Meyer Ministries. Evidently, LE was not able to substantiate those if one reads between the lines of what has been said in the past couple of days. It would not be the first time someone created a perceived threat before doing harm to others. Using JMM as the basis would suggest an element of a hate crime to add to the mix.

As much as I dislike having to bring it up, but the threats and the writing on the wall could play into his defense later. People with true MPD/DID have been known to do such things with no knowledge.

As for it being a "soft kill" (by the way~ I agree with you there really is no such thing), I suspect they were murdered while sleeping to minimize the sound and maximize the surprise factor. Altho, I won't be shocked if they were bound and gagged in some way to tie into the threat scenario. Smothering or strangulation is possible, but it wouldn't fit with them combing the neighborhood trash or the manholes either. They could be looking for a spray paint can (could account for stains on the scrubs found) or whatever was used for the wall message, but a weapon makes more sense to be ditched in a manhole.

 

[RAELON]

Why would he call the cops to check on them if a.) he was at the home overnight and everything was fine when he left for the gym and b.) he went to the gym that is a short 5 - 10 minutes drive across the bridge from illinois to south county, missouri? (i live here, so i know how close he was to his home while at the gym)

I'm betting he did it. It's just too staged and doesn't make any sense. The gym is his alibi, but IMO not a firm one. He was there, but seriously if the wife didn't answer the phone, why would he call the cops immediately instead of make the short drive home? It's not like he was states away and she didn't answer the phone for a day or two.

ITA
I wonder if the Gym has cameras and video.
I also wonder what time he left for the gym?,
What time did he get to the gym?
What time did he call the police?
Is there audio of the 911 call?

 

[Stella5]

ITA
I wonder if the Gym has cameras and video.
I also wonder what time he left for the gym?,
What time did he get to the gym?
What time did he call the police?
Is there audio of the 911 call?

In the paper this morning it says he went to the gym at 5:30 am. As for cameras, etc... my gym has them (Gold's) and if he went to Golds, then they'd have him on tape. I'm hoping that neighborhood camera is taped. Ours isn't... it's just for the county & city to monitor the traffic levels to remotely change the traffic light sequences. He apparently called the police right before 7 a.m. ... if the wife didn't answer wouldn't he assume she was busy getting kids ready for school... not that she was in danger. He was WAY too busy establishing his alibi with the gym & phone calls to the police.

This guy is guilty as sin. And with the "I told you this would happen" spray painted on the walls... it's a little too Jeffrey MacDonald for my taste.

Our local news sources are stltoday.com; kmov.com; ksdk.com and fox2now.com for more information.

 

[MCDRAW]

(1) If your family is getting death threats you don't go to the gym and leave them home alone. You just don't.

(2) If their house was being watched by an intruder he would have known the families schedule. He would have done the killing when the husband was at work all night not in a rushed moment on a Tue. morning. This time of year the family should have been getting the kids ready for school that time of morning. Meaning that they were not all three vulnerable to being attacked by a stranger.

(3) Screaming, hollering and rolling on the ground upon discovery is overreaction. Stunned, throwing up and feeling like you are going to pass out would be more normal. Rolling on the ground could also contaminate clothing and evidence giving some hot-shot lawyer an angle for jury doubt. (just a thought)

Additional info. The family is involved in a cult by any definition. Joyce Meyers Ministry has become just that. Joyce has the hierarchy of a cult. Lavish spending and perks for herself and private inner circle. If it were all built by God as she claims then it would be something that no person could ever take away. If that were the case there would be no paranoia or need for armed security 24/7. Jesus never had them. The Apostle Paul didn't either. Joyce Meyer Ministries doesn't even come close to what either them has done. Yet she needs body guards to ease her own paranoia. Part of the ministry is being willing to lay down your life and even becoming a martyr if needed. Apparently Joyce is not willing to do that.

Chris Coleman was raised in a charismatic non-denominational church of his fathers. Basically a church with no real oversight where the pastor makes up the rules and their application as he goes. Grace Church as it is now called has emulated Joyce Meyers to the point of Chris' mother even fixing her hair and trying to dress and sound like Joyce. When Chris finished his time with the Marines Joyce gave him a job as a favor to her faithful followers in Chester, IL.

In such an environment some people come to the point that they just snap. I hope I am wrong but that is what might have happened here.

Years ago I attended Grace Bible Church in Chester, IL and knew Chris as a small boy. After a while I realized what was going on and could not stomach the fake name it and claim it get rich quick scheme that many so called ministries are.

So you think Joyce Myers Ministries is a cult? And your reasoning is that she has bodyguards. She is the head of a large church with many members. The church has a lot of money. I'm wondering, what do you think about Christian business owners that have security guards? Christians that own guns? Christians that have security systems in their homes? Christians that have a lot of money? No one can come close to what Jesus has done. I really don't know how this became about Joyce Myer Ministries. She is just his employer. If he did it, Chris Coleman is the guilty one and not who he worked for. JMO

 

[SeriouslySearching]

Religion shouldn't enter into this discussion. This is about a man possibly murdering his beautiful wife and darling sons.

JMM isn't responsible for anyone murdering this family. JMM is not responsible for any part of this scenario and is cooperating fully with LE. The so-called threats which included JMM are the only ties so far to this case. We shouldn't make this about religion because it is so far away from any Christian or other belief system as it can get, imo.

Discussing his personal belief system isn't off limits since he appears to be using it as a basis for this horrific tragedy, imo. However, it would have to be a twisted and perverted belief if he is responsible and not akin to organized religious beliefs.

 

[pres101]

Cult could have been too strong a word but I doubt it. Nothing at all wrong with anyone having money, even lots of it if they earned it. Fleecing the sheep is not earning it.

Using a not for profit organization, church or otherwise is wrong.

If you don't understand the body guard issue then you really don't understand a genuine calling to ministry either.

I was just establishing a mindset.

I am sure that Joyce Meyers did not kill those kids and their mother.

 

[MCDRAW]

Cult could have been too strong a word but I doubt it. Nothing at all wrong with anyone having money, even lots of it if they earned it. Fleecing the sheep is not earning it.

Using a not for profit organization, church or otherwise is wrong.

If you don't understand the body guard issue then you really don't understand a genuine calling to ministry either.

I was just establishing a mindset.

I am sure that Joyce Meyers did not kill those kids and their mother.

I understand a genuine call to ministry. Joyce Myers may very well be willing to lay her life down for Christ but the people that visit her church or work for her may not be so willing.

 

[WholeLottaRosie]

I thought it has been said in some of the articles that he or they had received threats based on his connection to JMM. So that is where I thought JMM came in.

 

[SeriouslySearching]

I thought it has been said in some of the articles that he or they had received threats based on his connection to JMM. So that is where I thought JMM came in.

It is where JMM came in, but those so-called threats don't mean we need to discuss religion or her special brand of it, imo. The threats are so far unsubstantiated by LE.

 

[SeriouslySearching]

This explains why the services are being held in his hometown:

Visitation for the Colemans will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday at Grace Church Ministries, 2100 State Street, in Chester. The Rev. Ronald Coleman -- Sheri Coleman's father-in-law and the boys' grandfather -- is a pastor at the church.

Funeral services Saturday will be private, as will the burials at Chester's Evergreen Cemetery, according to an employee of Pechacek-McClure Funeral Home in Chester, which is handling the arrangements.

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/ne...4C72FACA6EE931F9862575AF001243B2?OpenDocument

 

[jnTexas]

This explains why the services are being held in his hometown:

Visitation for the Colemans will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday at Grace Church Ministries, 2100 State Street, in Chester. The Rev. Ronald Coleman -- Sheri Coleman's father-in-law and the boys' grandfather -- is a pastor at the church.

Funeral services Saturday will be private, as will the burials at Chester's Evergreen Cemetery, according to an employee of Pechacek-McClure Funeral Home in Chester, which is handling the arrangements.

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/ne...4C72FACA6EE931F9862575AF001243B2?OpenDocument

I could not imagine the pain this pastor is in having a service for his precious grandchildren.
Hope my gut is wrong on this one. I don't think this pastor could handle his son being arrested for the murder of his family.

 

[KaylynnCouture]

Services Planned: http://www.ksdk.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=174609&catid=3


The wake for Sheri Coleman, and her two boys, Garett and Gavin, is scheduled for Friday at Grace Church Ministries at 2100 State Street in Chester, Illinois from 4:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. The funeral is on Saturday, but it is private.

 

[SeriouslySearching]

I could not imagine the pain this pastor is in having a service for his precious grandchildren.
Hope my gut is wrong on this one. I don't think this pastor could handle his son being arrested for the murder of his family.

I agree. This must be heartbreaking for everyone who loved them so dearly.