Police: Mom, 2 sons slain in southwest Ill. home

[May 06, 2009]  COLUMBIA (AP) -- A mother and her two young boys were found slain Tuesday in a southwestern Illinois home where police had investigated suspicious activity.

Police had previous contact with Sherri and Chris Coleman related to "some interaction between an unknown individual and them," said Jeff Connor, deputy commander of the major case squad of greater St. Louis. He declined to elaborate.

Neighbors in the well-kept subdivision said the Coleman family received threatening letters and their mailbox was tampered with in the past week.

Michelle Kunzelman, 30, said police knocked on her neighboring door last week and asked "if we'd seen or heard anything with (the Colemans') mailbox." Kunzelman said she heard nothing unusual Monday night into Tuesday morning from the Colemans' home.

Connor said Chris Coleman found the bodies Tuesday morning of his wife, 31, and their children, 11-year-old Garrett and 9-year-old Gavin. Investigators did not yet have a cause of death or a suspect in custody, and Connor asked for the public's help with tips.

"It may not be unusual to them, but it may mean something to us," Connor said.

Columbia is a fast-growing town of roughly 10,000 people southeast of St. Louis, across the Mississippi River.

Chris Coleman worked in security for Joyce Meyer Ministries of Fenton, Mo. In a statement posted on its Web site, the ministry called him "a very dear friend," and the killings an "unexpected and devastating tragedy. Words are not enough."

Neighbor Harold Rushing, 77, said Chris Coleman was visibly upset Tuesday morning, flailing his arms as two police officers restrained him by the shoulders.

Rushing said the two boys often came to his house to romp in the backyard with his dogs.

"They were just boys. They weren't troublemakers," Rushing said. "They were good kids, just energetic boys."

[Associated Press; By BETSY TAYLOR]

Associated Press writer Jim Suhr in St. Louis contributed to this report.

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.