Sheri Coleman, sons Garett and Gavin murdered 5-5-09, Columbia, IL. Pt5

[TallCoolOne]

It will be curious to see what those threats entailed. Perhaps Meyer was threatened too .. don't know .. the wait for details is excruciating, isn't it? :behindbar

Not about the threats. The only thing excruciating about the threats is people who keep insisting they were real, IMO.

 

[fran]

I can't explain this feeling I have. And please don't call it an instinct. I don't believe people have instincts, just animals, fish and birds. (and don't post and say I'm wrong about instincts. We don't have time for that on this thread).
Anyway, I do not believe this murder was premeditated. Too many goofy and careless mistakes from someone who should know more about crime both how it's committed and how someone gets caught.
To me, this started as a raging argument sometime during the evening and turned into a physical fight and finally a murder. There are so many things the Colemans could have been fighting about.
Perhaps she learned about the other woman. Or that he'd been lying about everything from the threats to money problems.
A fight that got physical and he took it too far. I know we don't have any evidence so far of her being injured outside of being strangled.
Then, because she was dead or close to death, he had to get rid of the prospective witnesses. And, I don't think killing the boys was something mentally easy for him. But weighing the choices he had, it was something he had to do.
I think Coleman went into a mode of covering this crime in a haphazard method just grabbing from his mind whatever he could to cover what had happened.
He left the home after writing that on-the-wall message ( an act of desperation he thought would help point the guilt elsewhere). And put himself away from the crime and arranged for someone else to find the bodies. That in itself seems like a spur of the moment plan. Almost like OJ getting his butt on a jet to Chicago.
There you go. That's what I'm thinking - and I'm sticking to it until more evidence is uncovered.

Again I find myself several pages behind, so please excuse me if this has already been hashed over several times up to this point.

Along with this thought of azwriter I'd like to add that I've had thoughts that the initial murder, meaning Sheri, may not have been pre-planned. I have a POSSIBLE scenario:

Sheri receives an anomymous letter in the mail, telling her Chris is cheating. To cover his tracks, Chris tells Sheri someone is out to get him and, or to add to the drama, it all goes back to his *important* job protecting JM. To carry on the ruse, he does follow-ups with more and more letters.

Finally, Sheri and Chris have it out about the possibility of him having an affair. She may have even known it was her bff.(which COULD explain the sudden change of plans of going to Florida)

During an argument he kills Sheri, not premeditated until the moment(s) of the actual act. But then it spurs him to do the boys as well. IMO, IF Sheri wasn't premeditated, per se, the boys DEFINITELY HAD to be PREMEDITATED, because premeditation only takes a minute and he COULD have stopped but he didn't. :furious:

The rest of the scenario is as it appears to us all, covering up his crime.

Not saying this is it, but IMO, this could be POSSIBLE.

Oh, and "motive?" Because he wanted a 'new' and 'unencumbered' life.

JMHO
fran

 

[Stella5]

Okay kids, WAKE UP!!!

I found this article quite interesting, this is a very small part of it...

Despite the differences among these scenarios, there is a common profile of men who have killed their wives and children. Most are white males in their 30s or 40s who react badly to stress and who view their families as extensions of themselves. They typically use a firearm or knife that they have owned for some time. Often they're depressed or intoxicated. Invariably they're described as controlling and quite dependent on their families being what they envision, and believing that they are the only ones who can fulfill the family's needs.

Ewing offers a list of motives for familicide, as does Dr. Herbert Stream in Our Wish to Kill and Christine Jackman in "When Dads Get Deadly." Jointly, they cover the following reasons why men kill their families:

•Losing control over the family circumstances/panic over powerlessness
•Seeing only adverse circumstances ahead in life/desperation/frustration
•Feeling overwhelmed and unable to let the family live while he dies
•Seeing the deaths as a necessary sacrifice
•Believing the children cannot survive without him
•Revenge against an estranged wife, or teaching her a lesson
•Grief over losing the family in a divorce
•Discipline gone too far
•Possessiveness/entitlement/ownership
•Psychosis
•Self-enrichment
•Projecting their self-hatred onto the children
•Killing witnesses to abuse
•A joint crime with the mother—erasing the family
•Compassion
•Duty to the family
•Suicide by proxy
•Jealousy of children who are getting involved with others
•Difficulty adjusting to being a parent
•A long tradition of abuse in the family that just continues
•The idea that children must serve the parent's needs

This came from a study "Fathers who kill & why they do it". I thought the bullet list would give us a good starting point to try to figure out the motive and why CC did what he did.

Full link:
http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/criminal_mind/psychology/fathers_who_kill/3.html

 

[TallCoolOne]

Regarding Tara, I read she was told not to talk to the media because of a possible GJ investigation. Now that there's an arrest instead, do you think she will talk?

Anyone think she will be a hostile witness?

Ask your 'source'.

 

[fran]

Just announced on KSDK, TOD was most likely before 3am and no later than 5am placing CC at home. Nationally known medical examiner to testify for the prosecution.

Edit: Dr. Michael Baden

WoWser!

Just had to comment on this post!

SLamDUnk!!!!!!!!

:behindbar

JMHO
fran

 

[chestergal]

The MCS confirmed to a local FOX News reporter that Chris Coleman has been the only suspect from the very start of the investigation due to the evidence gathered.

 

[Stella5]

I am trying to catch up here after 12 hours away from this thread.

The last murder in Monroe County was 5 years ago. The man was aquited and most feel it was because local LE botched the evidence in the case. Local LE just does not see this type of crime in our area on a regular basis.

Thank God, Chief Edwards called the MCS right away. I would hate to have any evidence in this case "tainted" because of human error.

Twila Wiley? There were several mistakes early on in that investigation that were horrifying. Even so, I cannot believe even now the jury bought that was a suicide, as argued by the defense. Her husband got away with murdering her and the unborn child. Just sickening!!!

 

[milopedes]

Just announced on KSDK, TOD was most likely before 3am and no later than 5am placing CC at home. Nationally known medical examiner to testify for the prosecution.

Edit: Dr. Michael Baden

My feeling all along has been no matter what evidence arose that the defense could utilize, once the TOD was established, CC would be doomed if it indicted that Sheri and the boys were murdered prior to him leaving the house. His timeline and the TOD conflict, which says more than enough.

 

[waterlooinspector]

The article in the Post today covering the murders mention that most in Chester have not commented about the murders out of respect for Reverend Coleman and his family. Surely, not all Chester residents are walking zombies of the Grace Church.

I am very interested in those who might have grew up with CC in Chester. What was he like in his younger years? Was there any indication that he exibited such horrible traits when he lived there? What about his brothers? Do they have a past or problems with LE?

I realize Chester is a small town, but could anyone who speaks up about the "truth" about this family concerned about physical reprisals?

 

[Miss Patti]

lol not sure if this has been posted but this man when asked about the "other woman" called NG's show a joke. I for one think the other woman is relevant to this case as it could of course be the motive. WHO is missing the point here? :crazy:
http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser...est_after_he_calls_her_show_a_joke_116962.asp

 

[milopedes]

Sheri receives an anomymous letter in the mail, telling her Chris is cheating. To cover his tracks, Chris tells Sheri someone is out to get him and, or to add to the drama, it all goes back to his *important* job protecting JM. To carry on the ruse, he does follow-ups with more and more letters.

Finally, Sheri and Chris have it out about the possibility of him having an affair. She may have even known it was her bff.(which COULD explain the sudden change of plans of going to Florida)

During an argument he kills Sheri, not premeditated until the moment(s) of the actual act. But then it spurs him to do the boys as well.

Fran, you have an interesting theory. I do like it, particularly the part about Sheri receiving the letter initially alerting her to CC's cheating ways and his response being to cover it up by creating some threats. It also ties in nicely with the sudden change of plans re: Florida.

I have some two follow-up questions to your theory:

1. Unless SC believed CC, and even if she did I cannot imagine her not casually mentioning it to someone she trusts or confides in, why is there presently no statements from family, friends, or others regarding her knowledge of the affair? Or, (and we may not know yet), why is there no e-mail or other evidence indicating she knew something was fishy? From all accounts I've read / heard, outwardly they seemed to have a very good marriage.

2. All three died from ligature strangulation, right? How do you go from choking someone with your hands, as you might imagine would occur during a heated fight, to ligature? Did he stop, reflect while she was unconscious, and then switch to the ligature? Depending upon the fight, wouldn't there be signs on SC that someone strangled her with hands first?

 

[milopedes]

Not about the threats. The only thing excruciating about the threats is people who keep insisting they were real, IMO.

I just don't know. In all likelihood, this was a ruse by CC to accomplish something. What, we simply do not know? Here are some ideas:

Provide reasonable doubt after committing murder?
Maintain control over his wife/family?
Get attention from someone?
Cover up for a letter received notifying SC that he was cheating?

Then again, I don't think we know for sure that the threat letters are bogus. Has LE stated they found something on his computer? Did I miss that?

As always, my gut feeling tells me the letters were "cooked up" by CC; but until I know for sure, I'll simply keep options open. Like you, JMO.

 

[ILIVEINIL]

I am sorry I missed something, SC was going to Florida, sorry I am getting caught up.
With the TOD and his timeline he is done! Why was her name taken of the house. I still have not heard the answer to this question.

 

[milopedes]

I am sorry I missed something, SC was going to Florida, sorry I am getting caught up.
With the TOD and his timeline he is done! Why was her name taken of the house. I still have not heard the answer to this question.

I apologize, but I lack the link. I don't recall all the details either, so I'm of little help, but at some point the family was planning to go to Florida (visit or move?), but then suddenly decided not to go.

Yes, TOD + CC's stated timeline = :behindbar

As for her name being taken off the house, my guess is that this was merely another effort to exhibit control over SC and his family.

 

[Texas Mist]

Joyce Meyer Ministries issues brief statement on Chris Coleman arrest
3 mins ago

Joyce Meyer Ministries sent us the following statement this morning:

"Joyce Meyer Ministries has learned that charges have been filed against former employee Chris Coleman.

This horrible tragedy has deeply saddened us all and although nothing can compensate for the loss of this beautiful family, our ministry remains fully behind the diligent efforts of the law enforcement community."


KSDK

http://www.ksdk.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=175905&catid=3

(underline by me)

 

[TallCoolOne]

I just don't know. In all likelihood, this was a ruse by CC to accomplish something. What, we simply do not know? Here are some ideas:

Provide reasonable doubt after committing murder?
Maintain control over his wife/family?
Get attention from someone?
Cover up for a letter received notifying SC that he was cheating?

Then again, I don't think we know for sure that the threat letters are bogus. Has LE stated they found something on his computer? Did I miss that?

As always, my gut feeling tells me the letters were "cooked up" by CC; but until I know for sure, I'll simply keep options open. Like you, JMO.

*shrugs* I stand firm in my convictions and am not ashamed to voice them. So be it.


In a court of law. < - - - - - That's my pre-recorded response to those who will chime in and say "Innocent until proven guilty"

~TCO~

 

[Texas Mist]

CLINT VAN ZANDT
MSNBC TV Crime Analyst and Former FBI Profiler and Hostage Negotiator


Excerpt:
The challenge with physical evidence in the case of someone who shared a residence, like the Colemans, is that the evidence must link directly to the murder(s) and not just show the person was present in the home. While unlike CSI Miami, the evidence, shootout and arrests do not really take place in one hour, and much evidence is circumstantial vs. direct, over 50% of the 16,000 + homicides in the U.S. are solved every year.

http://clintvanzandt.newsvine.com/_...-man-charged-with-murder-of-wife-and-two-sons

 

[Texas Mist]

I am sorry I missed something, SC was going to Florida, sorry I am getting caught up.
With the TOD and his timeline he is done! Why was her name taken of the house. I still have not heard the answer to this question.

We heard that she was going to FL then changed her mind because she didn't want the boys to miss school....supposedly, one of the boys had mentioned the FL trip to a teacher.

It was discussed in one of the older threads....I don't remember the source but maybe someone else will.

We haven't heard the exact reason for her name being removed from the deed (at least as a 'fact' in the case).

 

[southcitymom]

Fran, you have an interesting theory. I do like it, particularly the part about Sheri receiving the letter initially alerting her to CC's cheating ways and his response being to cover it up by creating some threats. It also ties in nicely with the sudden change of plans re: Florida.

I have some two follow-up questions to your theory:

1. Unless SC believed CC, and even if she did I cannot imagine her not casually mentioning it to someone she trusts or confides in, why is there presently no statements from family, friends, or others regarding her knowledge of the affair? Or, (and we may not know yet), why is there no e-mail or other evidence indicating she knew something was fishy? From all accounts I've read / heard, outwardly they seemed to have a very good marriage.

2. All three died from ligature strangulation, right? How do you go from choking someone with your hands, as you might imagine would occur during a heated fight, to ligature? Did he stop, reflect while she was unconscious, and then switch to the ligature? Depending upon the fight, wouldn't there be signs on SC that someone strangled her with hands first?

Choking with hands is much more personal - adding a ligature adds distance between his hands and the killing they are doing. I think it makes the killing psychologically easier. MOO.

 

[Girlygirl1]

I wish we knew WHY he chose ligature...it just seems like there are (forgive me) easier ways to kill someone...also ones that wouldn't draw as much suspicion...Carbon Monoxide poisoning while they sleep and he's at work...poison of another kind... it just seems even more evil this way.

Also, have we discussed death penalty? I know it's "off the table" right now cause they are trying to decide in Ill if it's constitutional, but will they still seek it in the event that ruling is overturned? he meets the criteria...
- more than 1 victim
- victim under 12
- premeditated