Sheri Coleman, sons Garett and Gavin murdered 5-5-09, Columbia, IL. Pt2

[chestergal]

Defending yourself from being choked
http://www.policeone.com/corrections/articles/1460455-Defending-yourself-from-being-choked/

 

[Lindadanette]

You can't. I know, I was carjacked and the person choked me at one point, to the point where I just about lost consciousness. Fighting back was hard, I very quickly lost the ability to do that. Then he let go and at the next opportunity (thankfully the car didn't have power locks!) I jumped out of the moving vehicle, and was willing to risk dying then rather than what was instore, luckily my injuries were, relatively, minor.

It is frigging horrible. This happened 15 years ago, and when I think of it, I can still recall every damn second of the terror.

((((((Medusa)))))) - I still deal with PTSD, it's beyond anything I could have ever imagine. My heart goes out to all of the wounded soldiers here who want to see justice done for those of us who did not make it out alive. One thing that you said resounds with me. At a certain point in the assault, I lost my strength and ability to fight back. If not for divine intervention, I would have lost too.

 

[DairyGirl]

yepperz...saw the post about the hanger & the "hands" on the boys....made me nauseous.

Also, I read somewhere (I think it was comments @ fox2news site) that Sheri was into aerobics....sounds like she was in good physical condition & with her prior military training would not have been the "average" target....if someone such as the mysterious stranger who sent the "threats" were the perp, this person would have to have a *lot* of confidence in his own physical abilities to overtake her, right?

Wish I could remember more on the case, but a spouse hired a hitman to kill his wife, she came home & found the "burglar" & she strangled *him*.
So to me, this "confidence" that the perp had in successfully murdering 3 people during the early a.m. hours says a lot.

I think I know the case you are talking about. Was it in Oregon?
http://www.katu.com/news/local/3924156.html

 

[SeriouslySearching]

I remember that too.......Do not remember name just remembering wishing that happened more often!!! I think If she had any chance at all the perp would have become the victim.That is why I am leaning towards her being drugged.............or if her husband made like he was being affectionate she would have been totally off guard...........Just Sayin

Chris could have slipped them something the night before, but it makes no sense to me. If he were going to drug them...why not just give them a dose to go ahead and kill them since this was his intent? While we would all prefer they were out of it during the vicious attacks, I don't see it here.

You did hit on something that could have enraged him. What if he was trying to seduce her into sex and she refused him? (The screams haunt me.) We don't know if she found out about the other woman (motive girl) and what his response would be. Would he feel guilty and be apologetic? Would he be cold and calloused towards Sheri since the affair was still ongoing (as reported)?

 

[chestergal]

Chestergal~ We get very graphic here at times. Don't worry about it. If it pertains to the case, the MOD, or COD, we go to places most boards do not because we research it extensively. There isn't much we haven't discussed at one time or another. It can be difficult and sometimes we have to walk away, but it is done to understand the true nature of the crime. We have to understand what took place, how long it would take, and other unsavory details. In this case, it is very important because of the limited time frame.

Ok... I just worry about the family reading these boards.

I know some wonder how he could look at his wife and children in the face and when I read that I thought how he probably did a blood choke on them so he would not have to look at them eye to eye while he was killing them. I would have posted how I thought he might have done it back then but I figured I would just wait until someone else brought up detailed possible ways he might have done it.

The quickest way without having to look at them eye to eye would be a blood choke and with his Marine background he knows how to do the blood choke efficiently and it is very quick. I think CC is a coward also and he would not have faced the boys while he did it to them.

 

[WholeLottaRosie]

((((((Medusa)))))) - I still deal with PTSD, it's beyond anything I could have ever imagine. My heart goes out to all of the wounded soldiers here who want to see justice done for those of us who did not make it out alive. One thing that you said resounds with me. At a certain point in the assault, I lost my strength and ability to fight back. If not for divine intervention, I would have lost too.

Oh, absolutely and I know that the Divine allowed me to live for a reason as well. As time goes on, I learn more and more what the reasons are.

As for as PTSD, you know for the most part I am fine. It is only very occasionally that I recall it at all. Justice was served, the person was caught and will never walk the earth in this lifetime a free man (other crimes besides mine helped here).

But, it is awful and the idea of Sheri and her sons going through this and knowing their killer is just so very awful. What a horrible death. The only possible thing is to hope they were all asleep and didn't know, but, for some reason I doubt that.

 

[Lindadanette]

If there was a confrontation, and it went out of control, I could easily imagine Sheri lambasting him for his "phony faith" especially as hers was so real. In her anger she could have easily thrown threats about exposing him to his father, JMM and the community and even done it in a very taunting way. We don't know what Sheri knew or how she came to know it, it would probably be a "fresh" wound but she would be expressing an "out of control" anger that had been pent up for a long while. That may have been the "screaming" that was going on at three am.

It isn't hard to goad an egomaniac into a physical attack, especially if you are being brutally truthful in attacking their ego. I agree with the earlier comment that the boys were awakened by the assault on Sheri and CC couldn't let them live with the truth. At that age, and in that once stable home, they wouldn't have run away, they would have run to their mommy crying. If they were awake and not drugged, he would have had to drag them down.

 

[OkGrace]

ITA - I was attacked and almost killed by someone in 2000. The attack began with the attempt to strangle me. I can tell you that, from experience, you are fighting to get his hands from around your throat - you don't even think of screaming at that point. I was able to get under his little finger and pull it back (he was in front of me) and then bit his hand as hard as I could.

The attack went on for another 15 minutes and I won't burden you with the details, but when I could scream - I screamed bloody murder. It's truly by grace of God that I am here to tell the story. He was charged with Kidnapping and Aggravated Battery. He was a transient and mentally ill, he broke the head off of a concrete statue of Jesus that I had in my entry way, and did over $10,000 worth of damage to my home before the swat team got there. So I know what it's like to be targeted because of faith (I was leading a bible study at a homeless shelter) and because I felt sorry for him and tried to help.

Long story short, the kids wouldn't have stood a chance against an angry man bent on destroying them. But I imagine that Sheri fought at least as hard as I did. BTW, his name is/was Steven Ashley Martin, and I am certain that I am not his only victim.

First of all I am sorry for your situation.
My experience was a bit different, I was completely asleep when it happened and I did hit him and lucky for me he woke up and stopped.
I could not scream, his thumb was pressing my windpipe.
So IMO I do believe it could have happened (without anyone hearing)and I do believe forensics will be able to find skin under her nails if it did happen as stated. He may even have scratches.

 

[artie gumshoe]

two things: windows and screaming. The house next to the Coleman's house, if I'm not mistaken, is a ranch house and they have a set of windows facing the side of the coleman's house, where the master bedroom and one bedroom is. So, if the screaming was loud enough, and someone was by those windows, they could tell what side of their house the screaming was louder, thus deduce the house where they would be originating.

Also, the walk-out basement of their house has one sliding glass door and two windows, one on either side of the door. No storm windows of any kind. So, the perp could have checked the other window, found out it was locked and picked the next one.

Overall, lets not underestimate Sheri. She was in the marines as well, so she may not have been the average housewife type.

 

[mikeysmommom]

Chris could have slipped them something the night before, but it makes no sense to me. If he were going to drug them...why not just give them a dose to go ahead and kill them since this was his intent? While we would all prefer they were out of it during the vicious attacks, I don't see it here.

You did hit on something that could have enraged him. What if he was trying to seduce her into sex and she refused him? (The screams haunt me.) We don't know if she found out about the other woman (motive girl) and what his response would be. Would he feel guilty and be apologetic? Would he be cold and calloused towards Sheri since the affair was still ongoing (as reported)?

I think he might have given her a sleeping aid,if he over dosed her it would show up in the toxicology report and I think it would be harder to pin it on a stranger.If she knew about motive then I would think she was not gonna be in the mood so it might have enraged him.I would think he would have been acting very sorry and guilty to try to save his *ss at work.If Sheri knew I would think one of the first things she would have said was I am telling JMM.Who wants an unemployed disgraced loser, he would have lost a lot in his mind if she ratted him out.

 

[Texas Mist]

I think I know the case you are talking about. Was it in Oregon?
http://www.katu.com/news/local/3924156.html

you got it! the only other thing I could remember was that she was a nurse.

and reading the article, it seems that the "hitman" may have been one of the duller knives in the drawer....glad the opportunity to take a woman's life was taken from him.

He had a hammer too...that would have made for a very messy crime scene not to mention the mess on him & his clothes.

The perp who killed the Coleman's may have considered the messy scene, IMO, and thus the strangulations.

Or - ITA with other scenariio where CC could have just snapped that a.m. & went into the most violent of rages.

Either way, I'm still thinking he's the one based on what we have heard so far.

 

[OkGrace]

I think he might have given her a sleeping aid,if he over dosed her it would show up in the toxicology report and I think it would be harder to pin it on a stranger.If she knew about motive then I would think she was not gonna be in the mood so it might have enraged him.I would think he would have been acting very sorry and guilty to try to save his *ss at work.If Sheri knew I would think one of the first things she would have said was I am telling JMM.Who wants an unemployed disgraced loser, he would have lost a lot in his mind if she ratted him out.

I have also thought about the drugged scenerio and would imagine it will show up in tox screens if that is the case.

Even a basic sleeping aid should show and may be questioned if not her usual pattern.

 

[Texas Mist]

Bingo! I'd like to explore this angle more. The more we're figuring out, the more it's pointing to a crime of passion where he just snapped. I think the letters were a ruse to scare Sheri into staying in the marriage, i.e. "We can't get a divorce, you and the boys need me to protect you from this maniac", not to set up a premeditated murder of his entire family.

I wish we knew more to explore this angle too....in this scenario, CC is a man who wants to have his cake & eat it too....he wants it all - the lovely, SAHM church volunteer wife devoted to his 2 healthy boys, the nice house, the "big shot" macho man job -- and a g/f! (?)

That could cost some bucks. Might even make him stressed out.

(more to chew on now )

 

[mom_of_five]

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/ne...91FF589CCD24A278862575B7005D8440?OpenDocument

 

[SuziQ]

I wonder if CC bought burgers and shakes for them the night before....just sayin

 

[analytical]

Major Case Squad disbanding per:

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/ne...91FF589CCD24A278862575B7005D8440?OpenDocument

 

[Lindadanette]

Oh, absolutely and I know that the Divine allowed me to live for a reason as well. As time goes on, I learn more and more what the reasons are.

As for as PTSD, you know for the most part I am fine. It is only very occasionally that I recall it at all. Justice was served, the person was caught and will never walk the earth in this lifetime a free man (other crimes besides mine helped here).

But, it is awful and the idea of Sheri and her sons going through this and knowing their killer is just so very awful. What a horrible death. The only possible thing is to hope they were all asleep and didn't know, but, for some reason I doubt that.

You know, with all of this talk and Chestergal's compassionate comment about families reading here, I just want to say that, in the midst of that terror, there was a comfort that was like being lifted into the arms of the most loving presence and all fear and pain left my consciousness - and I did not become physically unconscious. I don't know why I am alive and these precious ones are not, by I do know that their suffering was cut short by Love.

I believe that this is what it means when Jesus said there is a peace that surpasses understanding and that he has overcome death. When our physical bodies can no longer survive, The Holy Spirit meets us here, on earth, and carries us to the Kingdom in the embrace that we have longed for - for all of our lives. So it is true that love never dies and I pray that anyone who is personally grieving this unthinkable tragedy would find peace in the witness of another believer.

 

[SeriouslySearching]

I think he might have given her a sleeping aid,if he over dosed her it would show up in the toxicology report and I think it would be harder to pin it on a stranger.If she knew about motive then I would think she was not gonna be in the mood so it might have enraged him.I would think he would have been acting very sorry and guilty to try to save his *ss at work.If Sheri knew I would think one of the first things she would have said was I am telling JMM.Who wants an unemployed disgraced loser, he would have lost a lot in his mind if she ratted him out.

Hmm...it would still show up in her tox screen, but it wouldn't be out of the norm for an adult to take such a drug. The boys are a different story. I still don't see it tho.

I think he acted in a premeditated fashion, but without raising Sheri's suspicions until he was attacking her. I think the screaming will coincide with the approximate TOD (around 3:00-4:00 am) leaving him in the house until 5:43 am.

 

[ohiogirl]

GM, artie!

Your post is a good read for another potential scenario.

The question that I can't get past (in my own mind) tho is why would a killer choose a very risky timeframe to enter the home & commit the murders. Why wouldn't the killer wait until CC was at work @ his nite job - when the possibility exists that CC would be away from home for hours before returning?

From the timeframe we know, there was only about an hour between the time CC left to goto Gold's & when the phone call to "police" was made & the bodies discovered.

Even an attempt to frame CC wouldn't necessarily require an early a.m. slaughter of the family while CC was working out at the gym, right? I mean, if the family was murdered within minutes of CC leaving the home (assuming this is what TOD will indicate), wouldn't that also apply if done while CC was working his 3rd shift job?

Hope this makes sense...still working on my 1st cuppa joe.

Just to play devil's advocate, it would be much harder to frame him if he was really at work. Someone there would have to know if he left at any point, so the imaginary perpetrator might have to do it when he was actually supposed to be anywhere but at home. Not thinking he was framed, just supposing.

 

[fran]

We saw where the teacher talked about one of the boys being excited about a Florida trip and then it being cancelled. I have to believe that there was initially a trip planned. Perhaps Sheri found out about the g/f AND it was her friend AND originally the g/f was in the mix of their trip?

We've heard, or seen that the husband had been gone earlier in the week or weekend. Perhaps he just returned that night. Sheri was angry over his cheating, this may have been an extension of a fight over days......

He may have not intended on killing her that night, but he lost his temper during the argument the neighbor over-heard. He killed Sheri,.............maybe one of the kids woke up during the verbal arguing and he had to kill him so he killed both kids.

I'm not thinking he would have drugged them. He's stupid and arrogant, but I do think he's smart enough not to have drugged them. IF he'd drugged them, he would have had to have made them disappear without a trace.

JMHO
fran

PS....{hugs} to all who've enlightened us here about their brushes with death at the hands of another. It must have been a horrible experience to endure. I have a friend who miraculously survived an attempt to be strangled by her now ex. FWIW, her attack was from the front, he threw her on the ground and while he was strangling her he tried to further cut off her oxygen intake from her nose by biting her face. Thank goodness I didn't see her, it must have been a horrible sight!......fran :blowkiss: