^COLEMAN FAMILY - Mom and 2 boys - Columbia IL

On the days of his murdered wife's and
sons' wake and funeral at his father's Chester church, Chris Coleman
texted his Florida girlfriend and told her he loved and missed her,
according to court documents.Chris Coleman's lover and Sheri
Coleman's high school friend, Tara Lintz, of St. Petersburg, Fla., told
police that Chris Coleman sent the text messages on May 8 and 9 -- the
days of Sheri, Garett and Gavin Coleman's wake and funeral at the Rev.
Ronald Coleman's Grace Church Ministries.Lintz also told police
that she hadn't received a text message or a phone call from Chris
Coleman since May 9, but detectives were "unable to verify this
statement because Lintz advises she lost (the) cellular phone while at
Busch Gardens on June 3," according to a search warrant return filed on
Wednesday.


Chris Coleman tried to hide from the media
by laying down in the back seat of a Monroe County Sheriff's patrol car
as he is driven into the Monroe County Courthouse garage June 10 for a
preliminary hearing.

Coleman, the former personal bodyguard of televangelist Joyce Meyer,
faces three counts of first-degree murder in the ligature
strangulations of his 31-year-old wife and sons, ages 9 and 11, who
were found on May 5 in their beds in their Columbia home.But
nearly six months before their deaths, Chris Coleman reported to
Columbia police that he received a threatening e-mail at his Joyce
Meyer Ministries account from the e-mail account "destroychris@gmail.com.""If
I can't get to Joyce, then I will get to someone close to her and if I
can't get to him then I will kill his wife and kids," the e-mail
stated. "I know Joyce's schedule, so I know Chris' schedule. ... During
the Houston conference, I will kill them all as they sleep. If I don't
hit there, then I will kill them during the book tour or the trip to
India. I know where he lives and I know they are alone."The
search warrant ordered the e-mail provider, Google, to provide the
Internet provider address to allow police to track the letter's author.A
subpoena sent to AT&T showed that on the morning of the murders,
Chris Coleman called his wife's cell phone at 5:44 a.m. -- just one
minute after a surveillance video captured Chris Coleman leaving his
home to go to a south St. Louis County gym.He called Sheri Coleman's cell phone three times after that.Another search warrant requested fingerprints and palm prints from Coleman. In
that document, Columbia Detective Karla Heine stated police found a
latex glove stained with, "what appeared to be red spray paint on it,"
along the median on the Illinois side of the Jefferson Barracks Bridge
by members of the Major Case Squad. The glove was collected as evidence
because investigators found threatening and vulgar messages in red
spray paint inside the Coleman home.The messages included "Punished" and "Whore paid."Investigators
also found a box of latex gloves at Meyer Ministries in the security
office that "were similar" to the glove found on the side of the
highway. Chris Coleman had a master key to that office, the document
stated.Another search warrant, this one served on the operators
of the social networking site Facebook revealed that Coleman had a
Facebook fan club that was established before the murders. Mary
E. Davis, a staffer at Joyce Meyer Ministries told an Illinois
investigator, "That a Facebook group account titled something to the
effect of Fans of Joyce Meyer Bodyguard," was available on the Internet
until the site was removed after the murders. Davis said that on Sept.
19, 2008, she had a record of an a "Natalie Johnson," an apparent fan,
asking about Coleman."Does anyone know Chris' e-mail address? I'd like to send him a note," Johnson e-mailed, according to the search warrant.Videos
still available online of Meyer's trips to events where she addressed
ten of thousands of followers, show Coleman never more than a few steps
away on the stage. Another video shows him pouring milk into her coffee
and handing her books at a book signing. In still an other video, Meyer
pretends to repel "temptation" during a speech by play-fighting with a
smiling Coleman, who mock fights with her before backing away. The search warrants were released by a judge's order after a News-Democrat request in the weeks after the murders.Coleman remains in the Monroe County Jail without bail.

The attorney for Joyce Meyer
Ministries arrived at the televangelist's local counsel's Waterloo
office Monday morning bearing a satchel full of documents.Jack
Carey, the attorney for the family of Sheri Coleman in a wrongful death
lawsuit, arrived at 9:45 a.m. at attorney Dennis Field's office to
review the documents. With him was attorney Enrico Mirabelli, murder
victim Sheri Coleman's first cousin and spokesman for her family.Carey
filed a motion to force Joyce Meyer Ministries, Chris Coleman's
employer, to provide documents including scheduling, salary, benefits,
life insurance information and airline tickets and schedules on
commercial flights and private airline passenger lists from Joyce Meyer
Ministries for travel in connection to Coleman's former job there as a
security guard. Chris Coleman, the former personal bodyguard of televangelist Joyce
Meyer, faces three counts of first-degree murder in the ligature
strangulations of his 31-year-old wife, Sheri, and sons, Garett
Coleman, 11, and Gavin Coleman, 9. The three were found strangled to
death on May 5 in their beds in their Columbia home.Michael
James King, of Tulsa, Okla., attorney for the Joyce Meyer Ministries
based in Missouri, agreed that Carey could review all the requested
records. However, if there is a disagreement about whether the document
is confidential, Associate Circuit Judge Andrew Gleeson will be on hand
to moderate and decide.Also attending the review is Mike Bauer, who handles "risk management" for Joyce Meyer Ministries Inc.

Attorneys for a world renowned televangelist fought hard, but lost the
battle to keep records secret in the civil case against accused killer
Chris Coleman. We're talking about 400 pages of records from Coleman's
former employer - Joyce Meyer Ministries - where he worked as head of
security. Sheri Coleman's family attorneys say Chris Coleman took out a
large life insurance policy on his wife. We might find out if he tried
to cash that out after the murders.

We may also learn what the ministry knew about Coleman's affair and when it found out.

Attorney's for the televangelist fought hard to keep all records
confidential and they even asked the Judge to take the hearing into his
private chambers. Ministry attorneys said the documents involve private
personnel records they need to protect, such as employee interviews and
travel itineraries. Judge Andrew Gleeson ruled against them and ordered
the documents delivered to the court clerk where they'll be under seal
for 72 hours.

Judge Gleeson repeatedly criticized the attorneys for Joyce Meyer
Ministries and at one point accused him of asking for special treatment.

Attorney Michael James King responded after the hearing. "I certainly
wasn't asking for special treatment, but I wasn't trying to argue with
the judge. I understand what he was saying but all we were doing was
filing and I file protective orders fairly routinely in a lot of cases
I handle and they're certainly not special treatment." He added that
the ministry has nothing to hide. "The ministry has always acted
responsibly. They have nothing to do with this [Reporter Chris Hayes
asked] Are the documents going to reveal that the ministry should have
known about the affair? [Attorney King responded] Absolutely not.

Attorneys for Sheri Coleman's family can pick up the documents Thursday
July 23rd at 2 p.m. Joyce Meyer Ministry attorneys say they'll keep
fighting for confidentiality until then.

A county judge said Monday that the ministry
of televangelist Joyce Meyer must publicly release the employment
records of a former security chief accused of killing his wife and two
sons. Joyce Meyer Ministries had requested that the 400 pages of documents
sought in the case against 32-year-old Christopher Coleman be kept
confidential, fearing that their release could compromise the privacy
of the alleged killer and others who still work at the St. Louis-based
ministry.
But after hearing the ministry’s argument, Judge Andrew Gleeson
declared, “We are a society where courts are open,” according to the
St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
"We have nothing to hide," responded Michael King, the lawyer for the ministry.
The confidentiality "is to protect my client from other
litigation,'' he clarified, saying the employment documents are
confidential under Missouri law. The attorney also said the disclosure
of Meyer's flight manifests is a "security concern" because the popular
life coach is a "national figure," as reported by the Post-Dispatch.
Joyce Meyer Ministries had been named as one of the “respondents in
discovery” in the lawsuit against Christopher Coleman, who has been
charged with the first-degree murders of his wife and two sons.
Coleman was working as a security guard for Joyce Meyer Ministries
until he resigned not long after his family was found dead in his home
on May 5.
According to investigators, Coleman had called police from a gym
that day and asked a police officer who had investigated prior threats
related to the family to check on them after calls to the house
allegedly went unanswered.
When police got to the house later that morning, they found the
bodies of Coleman’s 31-year-old wife, Sheri, and children, 11-year-old
Garett and 9-year-old Gavin, all strangled with some type of wire, rope
or cord. Spray-painted across the walls of the house, meanwhile, were
obscenities that appeared to have been directed at Sheri Coleman,
including the words “punished,” “wh*re paid,” “u have paid,” and “I saw
you leave, [expletive] you, I am always watching.”
Though some of the Colemans’ neighbors said the family had received
threatening letters and that their mailbox was tampered with, police
arrested Coleman around two weeks later after more evidence came
forward.
The week before, Coleman had resigned from his position at Joyce
Meyer Ministries after being questioned about a violation of the
organization's moral conduct policy, according to Roby Walker, a
spokesman for Joyce Meyer.
Walker would not say what policy Coleman allegedly violated but
reports have alleged that he was romantically involved with a woman
from Largo, Fla., and had visited her while traveling with the ministry.
Coleman, who pleaded “not guilty” on May 20, has since remained in jail and denied bond by the judge.

A judge approved Chris Coleman’s waiver of his right to a speedy trial, according to the Monroe County Circuit Clerk.
This means it could be a year or more before Coleman stands trial on
three counts of first degree murder. Under Illinois law, an
incarcerated defendant can force the state to go to trial within 120
days from the date of arrest–unless the defendant waives that right.
Police say Coleman murdered his wife, Sheri, and two young sons in
their home on May 5. He then staged the crime scene, police say,
attempting to make it look like a vendetta from a crazed stalker of his
boss, international televangelist Joyce Meyer.
Sheri Coleman’s family has sued Chris Coleman for wrongful death.
They’ve sought documents from Joyce Meyer Ministries, which are
expected to be handed over to Jack Carey (an attorney for Sheri
Coleman’s family) on Thursday.
But, Carey says he won’t immediately comment on the documents until after a full review.

Newly released documents detail more information regarding Chris
Coleman and his work environment, particularly his work relationship
with former employer Joyce Meyer Ministries. This includes new
information that Joyce Meyer had advanced Chris Coleman $10,000 in cash
the day following the Coleman murders.It was known that Joyce
Meyer was quick to arrive in Chris Coleman’s immediate neighborhood
after news of the murders became public, to lend her support. Joyce has
since released a public statement after Chris Coleman was arrested,
“This horrible tragedy had deeply saddened us all and although nothing
can compensate for the loss of the beautiful family, our ministry
remains fully behind the diligent efforts of the law enforcement
community.” Coleman, who is now facing three counts of first-degree
murder, is accused of sending threatening letters and E-Mails to his
own residence and place of business. Those letters and E-Mails
contained degrading remarks about Joyce Meyer in addition to death
threats to his wife and children.Attorney for Joyce Meyer,
Michael King, revealed the nature of the $10,000 advance. The money was
to be used for burial and funeral expenses. The documents showed that
$10,000 in cash had been given to Coleman on May 6, 2009, the day
following the murder, yet the documents didn’t reveal the purpose of
the cash advance. A statement by Michael King reads, “"He said he
didn't have the money at the time for the funeral expense. It was well
before anyone knew he was a suspect."The documents were handed
over to Jack Carey, the attorney representing the family of Sheri
Coleman in a civil suit for wrongful death against Coleman. Carey
stated that he is still pouring over hundreds of documents. More
documents may be released to the public in future weeks.Though
motive for the murders does not need to be proven, it is well-known
that Chris Coleman was involved in an extra-marital affair with his
wife’s Sheri, high school friend, Tara Lintz. Tara Lintz and Sheri
attended Largo High School together. Tara Lintz now lives in St.
Petersburg, Florida.

Murder defendant Christopher Coleman was a model employee at the Joyce
Meyer Ministries but saw himself as "tactless" and "unaffectionate,"
according to documents made public Friday.
He also was having a secret extramarital love affair, police have
said, which apparently put him at odds with the spirit of strict
employment rules.

"We ask that married employees do not travel together or go to lunch
together with other employees/vendors of the opposite sex (unless it is
your spouse or in groups of three or more), and that you do not counsel
one another or conduct business behind closed doors for lengthy periods
of time," the ministry's handbook says.

Jack Carey, a lawyer for Coleman's slain wife's family, obtained the
material as part of a wrongful-death suit against Coleman. The ministry
is not a defendant but was compelled to provide the material.
Coleman, 32, is held without bail pending trial on first-degree murder
charges that say he strangled his wife, Sheri Coleman, 31, and sons
Garett, 11, and Gavin, 9, in their home in Columbia.

After discovery of the bodies May 5, but before Coleman's arrest May
19, the Post-Dispatch publicly revealed his relationship with Tara
Lintz, a onetime close friend of his wife's, who lives in Largo, Fla.
The day after that story, Coleman resigned as security manager for
Meyer.

The internal documents show the ministry viewed Coleman as an employee
who acted with integrity and never failed to impart Joyce and Dave
Meyer's "heart and vision" to fellow employees. The ministry frequently
gave Coleman raises as he ran its growing security department.

However, Coleman also took a personality test for the ministry, in
which he described his own weaknesses as "withdrawn" and "moody" and
"tactless" and "unaffectionate."

Coleman traveled extensively for work. Flight records from the ministry
show that he flew to Florida in November 2008, December 2008 and
January 2009. He also flew to Hawaii in January, where police allege he
met with Lintz.

Lintz and Coleman had extensive communications through social
networking websites, e-mail and telephone conversations, according to
search warrant affidavits.

Coleman had a $250,000 life insurance policy on himself, with Sheri
Coleman as beneficiary, the newly released material shows. It also
indicates that he applied for a $15,000 hardship withdrawal from a
ministry retirement plan to pay for funeral and burial expenses.

The documents show the ministry barred use of personal cell phones
during work hours and ordered that use of computers be only for
ministry business.

Police allege that Coleman attempted to make the crime look like the
work of an enemy of the ministry, sending threats to his family over a
computer network registered with the ministry and spray-painting hate
messages on the walls at the murder scene.

Monroe County State's Attorney Kris
Reitz has filed paperwork to possibly seek the death penalty against
Chris Coleman, who is accused of fatally strangling his wife and their
two sons at their home in Columbia.
St. Louis television station KTVI reported Friday that court documents
indicate Reitz will note that there were multiple victims, two were
under the age of 12, and the slayings appear to have been premeditated.
The 32-year-old Coleman has pleaded not guilty to three counts of first-degree murder, and is being held without bond.
Investigators say they believe Coleman used a ligature to strangle 31-year-old Sheri Coleman and their sons Garett and Gavin.
The three were found dead May 5 after Coleman telephoned police to ask them to do a well-being check on his family.

St. Clair County Circuit Judge Milton Wharton will preside over the Chris Coleman triple murder case.
John Baricevic, the chief judge of the 20th Judicial Circuit,
stepped aside from the case today because he isn’t certified to handle
death penalty cases.
Coleman, 32, is charged with three counts of first-degree murder in
the strangulation of his wife Sheri, 31, and sons Garett, 11, and
Gavin, 9, whose bodies were found in their home on May 5. The Monroe
County state’s attorney announced on Friday that he will seek the death
penalty if Coleman is convicted.
Wharton has been on the bench for more than 30 years. (A profile I wrote of Wharton is included below.)
This is the third judge to preside over the case — and probably the
last. Illinois law allows a murder defendant to disqualify two judges,
which Coleman has already done.