SW Illinois man denies killing wife, 2 kids

WATERLOO -- A southwestern Illinois man accused of strangling his wife and two young sons in their home pleaded not guilty Wednesday and was ordered held without bond.

During a roughly five-minute court appearance, Chris Coleman, 32, stood in an orange jail jumpsuit next to his attorney and was shackled at the ankles and waist.

Judge Stephen Rice asked Coleman several questions, including whether he understood the charges he's facing. Coleman answered "Yes, sir."

He is charged with three counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of 31-year-old Sheri Coleman and their children, 11-year-old Garett and 9-year-old Gavin. All three were found dead in their Columbia home on May 5. Authorities have said they were all strangled with a cord.

Rice told Coleman that prosecutors will decide whether to seek the death penalty and said that he also could get up to life in prison.

After the arraignment, defense attorney William Margulis refused to discuss anything relating to a possible death penalty.

"My client, Mr. Coleman, maintains his innocence and we'll play this out," Margulis said.

The attorney told reporters that he would most likely seek to have the trial moved out of Monroe County.

When Coleman arrived at the courthouse in Waterloo, a small crowd had gathered nearby and shouted insults at him.

He was arrested Tuesday at his parents' home in Chester, about 40 miles from Columbia, said Jeff Connor of the Major Case Squad of Greater St. Louis.

"We've done all we could to solve this as quickly as we could but as efficiently as we could," Connor said after the arrest.

The Major Case Squad presented evidence in the case to Monroe County State's Attorney Kris Reitz last week, but Reitz did not file charges pending the results of forensic tests. At the time authorities declined to name the suspect.

Connor said that authorities had been close to an arrest for several days, then on Tuesday officials received more evidence that strengthened the case.

The day the bodies were found Chris Coleman called police from a gym and asked a Columbia police officer who had investigated prior threats related to the family for a well-being check around 7 a.m., investigators have said.

Coleman told officials that he called the house and no one answered, authorities said.

Officials have declined to discuss details about the alleged threats. Some neighbors in the well-kept subdivision have also said the Colemans received threatening letters and that their mailbox was tampered with.

Police went to the suburban home that morning and discovered the bodies. Shortly after, Coleman arrived and officers had to restrain the visibly upset man in his yard.

Chris Coleman worked security for Joyce Meyer Ministries, a Fenton, Mo.-based evangelical Christian group. Joyce Meyer spokesman Roby Walker said last week that Coleman resigned after an internal inquiry found he failed to follow a ministry policy.

Walker would not say what policy Coleman allegedly violated.

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