Investigators Reveal Husband Was Home the Night His Family Was Murdered

COLUMBIA, Ill. (KMOV/AP) -- Investigators say the husband of a southwestern Illinois woman found dead with the couple's sons had called police for a well-being check at their house after no one answered when he'd phoned from a gym.

According to investigators the husband Chris Coleman was not at work on the overnight shift as had first been reported. Detectives are clarifying that Coleman was at home with his family and had left early Tuesday morning to go to the gym. According to police, while Coleman was at the gym he attempted to call his family, but when he could not get an answer he called police.

The Major Case Squad says it was police who first arrived at the scene and found the bodies of Sheri Coleman, 31 and her sons Garret, 11 and Gavin, 9.

They say Coleman arrived home a short time later.

Police will not go into timelines or give any specifics regarding what happened at what time.

On Wednesday, detectives were seen searching the Coleman’s two vehicles and looking around the house. They have not released any information about what they were looking for or what they have found.
Neighbors tell News 4 that for the past six months this family of four had been plagued by threatening letters. Neighbors say the Coleman family had a surveillance camera pointed directly at the mail box.

A police source tells News 4 that Garrett and Gavin Coleman were strangled. There are also reports that somewhere inside the home, there is a message in spray paint that reads "I told you this would happen."

The major case squad says that there are still no suspects in custody.

For people who live in this quiet neighborhood, the crime scene is a surreal sight.

Neighbors remember Sheri Coleman and her two sons as friendly and active.

Authorities are still asking that anyone in the Columbia, Ill. area who noticed anything unusual or anyone who knows the Coleman family and feels they might have helpful information to call police.


View Guest book for Sheri Coleman
Photos: Day 2 of investigation
Raw video: Day 2 of investigation
Video: Police news conference