No Inquest In Deaths Of Sheri Coleman And Her Sons
WATERLOO, Ill. (CBS/AP) Authorities in Monroe County say there will be no inquest in the strangling deaths of Columbia resident Sheri Coleman and her two young sons.
An inquest is a judicial investigation by a group of court-appointed people, including a medical examination by a coroner, into the cause of a death that was sudden, violent or suspicious.
County Coroner Julie Gummersheimer said Wednesday an independent pathologist performed autopsies on the three, so an inquest isn't necessary.
Illinois statutes don't require an inquest, but leave it up to the county coroner whether or not to hold one.
31-year-old Sheri Coleman and the her children, 11-year-old Garett and 9-year-old Gavin, were found strangled to death in their Columbia home on May 5, 2009. Coleman's husband, Chris, is charged with three counts of first degree murder in the deaths of his wife and children.
Chris Coleman told his Florida girlfriend that he would divorce his wife and marry her in 2010, according to court documents. Chris Coleman maintains his innocence.