Karen Coleman

Summary

Snapped: Women Who Murder – Episode Summary: Karen Coleman

Hosted by Oxygen

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Introduction

In this gripping episode of Snapped: Women Who Murder, Oxygen delves deep into the chilling case of Karen Coleman, a seemingly devoted wife whose actions led to the tragic and untimely death of her husband, Danny Coleman. Over the course of this detailed narrative, listeners are taken through the discovery of Danny's body, the intricate investigation that followed, and the eventual unraveling of Karen's sinister plot.

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Background: The Coleman Family

Karen and Danny Coleman were the quintessential American couple residing in Stanton, Missouri. Danny, a beloved mechanical engineer and military veteran, was known for his kindness and dedication both at work and within the community. Karen, portrayed as a supportive wife and mother, worked diligently to maintain their comfortable lifestyle.

• Danny’s Legacy:

  • [08:12] Family Member: "Danny was a very caring individual. He was a hunter safety instructor for children to teach them how to handle guns."
  • Profession: Mechanical Engineer at Multiplex, manufacturing soda machines for McDonald's.

• Karen’s Role:

  • [10:24] Detective: "Karen worked a lot of local entry-level jobs, and eventually she landed at a printing company as secretary."

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The Discovery of Danny Coleman

On October 22, 1992, tragedy struck when Danny Coleman was found dead in his own truck, which had been set ablaze in a remote field in Stanton. The initial discovery was made by a motorist who witnessed the burning vehicle late at night.

• Initial Findings:

  • [02:05] Family Member: "At that time, she said, they found him. I said, well, is he okay? She said, no, he's dead."
  • Cause of Death: Initially ruled as blunt force trauma with severe burns obscuring the body’s features.

• Investigation Begins:

  • [04:04] Detective: "This gentleman walked up into the woods, went through a small patch of woods and then went out into a field."
  • Challenges: The fire destroyed most of the evidence, making identification and cause of death determination difficult.

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Unfolding the Investigation

As investigators delved into Danny’s life, they uncovered a portrait of a man without obvious enemies. However, hints of marital issues and Danny’s disdain for certain activities began to surface.

• Marital Dynamics:

  • [19:33] Family Member: "I was surprised at her demeanor compared to Danny's. She's just a much rougher person than he was."
  • Extramarital Affairs: Karen had several affairs, adding complexity to the investigation.

• Financial Motive:

  • [32:19] Investigator: "I'm aware of, of her obtaining, receiving like $50,000 for the death benefit."

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Breakthrough: The Deathbed Confession

Years into the investigation, a pivotal moment occurred when convict Larry Nolan made a deathbed confession implicating himself and others in Danny’s murder.

• Confession Details:

  • [26:09] Investigator: "He confessed to his cellmate regarding a murder that he potentially set up and was involved with."
  • Involvement of Others: Karen Coleman allegedly orchestrated the murder, involving hitmen James Cornhart and Steve Mueller.

• Evidence Linking:

  • [30:14] Advertiser: "As far as the possibility of Danny being shot. Investigators ask the medical examiner to reevaluate her original findings."
  • Forensic Confirmation: New evidence suggested Danny was shot, aligning with Nolan's confession.

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Arrests and Prosecution

With newfound evidence and testimonies, authorities moved swiftly to arrest those involved.

• James Cornhart and Steve Mueller:

  • [35:02] Expert: "James Cornhart and Steve Mueller are serving their life sentences in federal prison."
  • Conviction: Both were found guilty of conspiracy to commit murder for hire and first-degree murder, receiving life sentences on June 14, 2010.

• Karen Coleman’s Turnaround:

  • [43:37] Advertiser: "Karen admits she knew about Danny's life insurance policy and had planned to use the money..."
  • Plea Deal: Karen pleaded guilty to conspiracy and murder-for-hire charges, receiving a 20-year sentence in exchange for her cooperation.

• The Elusive “Dozer”:

  • [46:34] Advertiser: "Authorities continue to search for the mystery man known only as Dozer."
  • Status: Remains at large, with investigators urging anyone with information to come forward.

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Conclusion: Justice and Closure

The episode culminates with the conviction of James Cornhart and Steve Mueller, providing some closure to Danny Coleman's family after nearly two decades. Karen Coleman’s cooperation was instrumental in securing these convictions, though her reduced sentence sparked mixed emotions among those affected.

• Final Reflections:
  • [45:56] Expert: "It did provide some closure for everybody involved. Joby was extremely thankful that they could finally get some closure on the case."
  • Legacy: Danny Coleman is remembered fondly by his family and community, his memory preserved as the case that stood the test of time and complexity.

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Notable Quotes

• Family Member on Danny’s Character:

  "Danny was a very caring individual. He was a hunter safety instructor for children to teach them how to handle guns."
  [08:12]

• Detective on Karen and Danny’s Relationship:

  "Karen told us they, you know, were a loving couple, that they got along real well. You know, just kind of seemed like your average couple."
  [11:32]

• Expert on the Complexity of the Case:

  "The case was a very large conspiracy. It was difficult to investigate."
  [02:17]

• Family Member’s Reaction to Karen’s Actions:

  "I don't understand how a person that you've been married to for a long time and had a child with would want to have him killed."
  [42:15]

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Closing Thoughts

The Karen Coleman case serves as a stark reminder of how appearances can be deceiving and how intricate personal dynamics can lead to unimaginable tragedies. Snapped: Women Who Murder masterfully unpacks the layers of this case, offering listeners a comprehensive look into the motivations, actions, and consequences surrounding Karen Coleman's decision to murder her husband for financial gain and personal liberation.

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If you found this summary insightful, subscribe to the Snapped: Women Who Murder podcast on your favorite platform to listen to the full episode and explore more true crime stories.

Transcript

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[Investigator]

They took it to the middle of the field and set it ablaze with a victim in the front passenger seat of the truck.

[Family Member]

At that time, she said, they found him. I said, well, is he okay? She said, no, he's dead.

[Advertiser]

Investigators would uncover a complex web of jealousy and greed.

[Expert]

The case was a very large conspiracy. It was difficult to investigate.

[Detective]

The case kind of stalled for a.

[Advertiser]

While until years later, a deathbed confession opens the floodgates.

[Investigator]

He confessed to his cellmate regarding A murder that he potentially set up and was involved with.

[Expert]

He felt like he'd been double crossed on this, and he was very angry. He thought he was in love with her.

[Advertiser]

The search for the truth reveals a twisted plot of betrayal and shocking alliances.

[Detective]

She was a very different person than what police were led to believe.

[Expert]

She'd had several extramarital affairs.

[Witness]

It seems like an incredibly cold and calculated crime. They're really just doing it for the promise of some money down the line.

[Family Member]

He totally got blindsided, which led to his death.

[Advertiser]

Stanton, Missouri, is nestled in the rolling farmland between the Lake of the Ozarks and St. Louis.

[Detective]

Stanton is a small community that's along Interstate 44, which travels through Franklin county down into St. Louis.

[Witness]

Well, Franklin county is a largely rural county. It's mostly just, you know, farmland and woods and fields and things like that.

[Advertiser]

Just after 9pm on October 22, 1992, a motorist traveling along the north service road in Stanton sees something ablaze in the distance and decides to take a closer look.

[Detective]

This gentleman walked up into the woods, went through a small patch of woods and then went out into a field.

[Expert]

When he got a little closer, he determined it was a vehicle fire. So he had to go back to a telephone, is my understanding, and call the fire department.

[Advertiser]

Firefighters arrive within minutes. As they douse the flames, they make a gruesome discovery.

[Expert]

They determined there was a body in the vehicle.

[Detective]

You couldn't obviously make out the victim because the body was very, very badly burned.

[Expert]

There were some skeletal remains and dental remains. Everything else was consumed in the fire.

[Advertiser]

The firefighters contact the Franklin County Sheriff's Department.

[Detective]

I received a column at 9:40 at night on the 22nd. So I contacted all my detectives, got everybody together, and went out to the scene. You're wondering, why is that truck there? Where did it come from? Obviously, who's the victim? You know, you just kind of start from the inside and work your way out.

[Advertiser]

Finding evidence of what did happen won't be easy.

[Detective]

The truck was totally destroyed. There was nothing left on the outside, just basically a frame.

[Expert]

Well, the fire destroyed a lot of evidence. There was no identification on the body.

[Advertiser]

Although there's no driver's license, detectives do find several items that may help ID the body. Found in the front passenger seat, there.

[Expert]

Was a gold chain, a ring, and a watch that they could plainly see.

[Detective]

And they found a belt buckle with, I believe it was from Ducks Unlimited, which is a hunting group.

[Advertiser]

As they examine further, they spot another potential clue to the person's identity.

[Expert]

They saw a rod in One of the legs of the body. They determined it was a metal rod that was put in, put in the right leg because of an injury.

[Advertiser]

Detectives make their way around the vehicle where they find the first indication of something amiss.

[Expert]

It appeared that with the license plates being removed, whoever was responsible of it was trying to delay law enforcement's efforts to identify the body and identify who the victim was and where the victim lived.

[Advertiser]

It's unclear if whoever took the plates was trying to cover up an accident or something worse. Whoever it was, they forgot about the vehicle identification number etched into the frame.

[Expert]

The vehicle identification number came back to Karen and Danny Coleman at an address in St. Louis, which was about a 45 minute drive from where the vehicle and the body were recovered.

[Advertiser]

Investigators immediately head to the couple's home to determine if one of the family members is missing.

[Detective]

This was probably about 2:30 in the morning to try to find out if they knew where their vehicle was or what had happened to it.

[Advertiser]

Detectives arrived to find Karen Coleman and her 18 year old son Joby at home.

[Expert]

They did not know where Danny was.

[Detective]

They were concerned. Usually he'll call and let him know that he's going to be late coming home, which he didn't that evening.

[Advertiser]

Investigators tell them about the burned truck and ask if they recognize the charred personal items found at the scene.

[Expert]

The jewelry and the belt buckle, the watch, the ring, the gold necklace. Family did identify those as belonging to Danny Coleman. There were a lot of tears at that point.

[Advertiser]

Detectives then share that the recovered body had a pin in one leg.

[Detective]

Joby had told me his father had been in this motorcycle accident that he had a pin in his right leg. That really helped us get going in the right direction and you know, they want answers, they want it solved.

[Advertiser]

St. Louis native Danny Coleman was known for his big heart and kind disposition.

[Family Member]

Danny was a very caring individual. He was a hunter safety instructor for children to teach them how to handle guns.

[Detective]

Danny was really a straight guy, very well liked, kind of easygoing, and, you know, just pretty much an all around nice guy.

[Advertiser]

The army vet was proud of his service Even though in 1971 it was cut short after only a few months.

[Detective]

He was in the military and was stationed in Germany and he was involved in a motorcycle accident that resulted in.

[Expert]

His discharge from the army and he came back to St. Louis.

[Advertiser]

Back in the States, Danny underwent surgery that resulted in a metal pin being placed in his right leg.

[Family Member]

He kind of walked with a limp because in the surgery that was done, there was a rod in his leg.

[Advertiser]

As fate Would have it. It was during his recovery at the military hospital in Fort Leonard, Missouri, that Danny met the love of his life, When a friend visited him with her cousin, Karen.

[Expert]

Karen was from South St. Louis. Danny likewise was from South St. Louis. And she was introduced to Danny While he was still in the hospital.

[Advertiser]

Karen and Danny bonded over their love of the outdoors, as both were avid hunters and anglers.

[Detective]

Danny made Karen laugh and they just loved being around each other.

[Advertiser]

The blue collar sweethearts fell in love, and in 1973, they tied the knot. A year later, their family grew.

[Expert]

They had a son named joby. They weren't wealthy by any means. They were comfortable. Danny was bringing in a fair income and they were raising their child.

[Family Member]

Danny was a mechanical engineer at a company called multiplex who manufactured the soda machines for like McDonald's.

[Detective]

Karen worked a lot of local entry level jobs, and eventually she landed at a printing company as secretary.

[Advertiser]

Danny strived to be a good husband and father. So his family wanted for nothing. In the late 1980s, Danny began branching out with the support of his friend Richard.

[Family Member]

Danny had a side business that he started where he would go in and treat ceramic flooring in different businesses to make them non slip.

[Expert]

The flooring business was becoming very successful.

[Advertiser]

By 1992, the 38 year old family man and business owner Seemed to have it all. But when police find human remains in Danny's burned truck, his family fears the worst.

[Detective]

We began questioning Karen about, you, know, maybe Danny having any enemies, if she had any enemies, what he may be doing out there, if there was any association between him and the Stanton area. Just a lot of different questions, you know, kind of starting from scratch and working our way out.

[Advertiser]

Detectives try to catch a glimpse of the family dynamic.

[Detective]

Generally. The family obviously is one of the things you look at.

[Advertiser]

Initially, Karen assures investigators that she and her husband of 19 years were happily married.

[Detective]

Karen told us they, you know, were a loving couple, that they got along real well. You know, just kind of seemed like your average couple.

[Advertiser]

To detectives, Danny's relationship with his 18 year old son Joby Also seems solid.

[Detective]

As far as our suspect list, There was really no flags that jumped up immediately or initially that led any suspicion to anybody in the family.

[Expert]

There was really no enemies or anything regarding Danny. There was nothing that would indicate anybody else didn't like him or had an ax to grind.

[Advertiser]

On October 23, 1992, the St. Louis Medical examiner confirms what everyone feared.

[Detective]

The autopsy was performed by Dr. Mary Case, and she used the dental records to confirm that it was Danny.

[Advertiser]

The Me also makes a startling discovery based on damage to the victim's crushed skull.

[Expert]

There was tremendous damage to the body caused not only by the fire, but by the blunt force trauma. The autopsy determined it was a homicide.

[Detective]

She couldn't determine exactly what type of instrument it was, but said it would be similar to something like a baseball bat.

[Witness]

He had been beaten to death.

[Advertiser]

Coming up, the hunt for Danny's killer unearths an unlikely person of interest.

[Expert]

There was a phone call that Danny received at work that day. It was very cryptic.

[Advertiser]

And investigators dig deeper into the motives of those closest to Danny.

[Family Member]

They were wondering if I had a relationship with Karen.

[Advertiser]

Authorities in Stanton, Missouri, have identified 38 year old Danny Coleman as the murder victim they found in his burned truck on the night of October 22, 1992.

[Detective]

We didn't know if it was possible that he was killed there, if he was brought from somewhere because the area that he was at, there was no houses around. There was pretty remote.

[Advertiser]

The next morning, investigators searched the crime scene again, hoping to uncover more evidence in the light of day.

[Detective]

We had found some matches, and then they also found a matchbook case that had a cellophane cover nearby. And we had assumed that that was, you know, more than likely used to set the fire.

[Advertiser]

Detectives immediately send the new evidence to the crime lab for processing.

[Expert]

That entire area was gone over with a fine tooth comb. The loose matches, the matchbox, and the cellophane wrapper around the matchbox were tested for fingerprints.

[Detective]

There was a fingerprint that was developed off of that cellophane wrapper. We put that into it's a statewide database to try to find a match for it.

[Expert]

We had that latent fingerprint, but we had nobody to match it to. So that evidence was stored and locked away for future reference.

[Advertiser]

Since the crime scene evidence does not immediately ID a suspect, investigators expand their questioning hoping for a new lead.

[Expert]

They started interviewing everybody they could possibly identify. Friends, co workers.

[Detective]

Everybody at work seemed to really like Danny because of his personality. And I think Danny, from what we understood, was a hard worker.

[Advertiser]

However, one of Danny's co workers recalls Danny leaving unexpectedly early on the day before his body was found.

[Expert]

There was a phone call that Danny received at work that day. It was very cryptic. Nobody really overheard the conversation other than he may have mentioned the name Rich.

[Detective]

We didn't know at that point who Rich was, and we started contacting other people and found out that his name was Rich Saluka, who was a friend of his.

[Advertiser]

Investigators subpoena records to learn more about the communication between the Two men.

[Detective]

When we checked the phone records, we found that Danny had spoken to Rich quite a few times.

[Advertiser]

What strikes detectives as suspicious is that someone from the Coleman house had called rich at 1:30am and again at 3:30am the night Danny was murdered.

[Family Member]

The police called me and asked if I would come in and that I was a person of interest because of the phone record showing that I talked to him quite a bit.

[Detective]

Rich was cooperative with us when we first talked to him and gave us a lot of information. But as the investigation went on, we started asking some more accusatory type questions.

[Family Member]

I told him that I was not involved. He was a very close friend of mine and I was basically in shock at what had happened.

[Advertiser]

Investigators press Rich about the late night phone calls from the Coleman house.

[Detective]

One of the things that you consider as a possibility is infidelity. Nothing really jumped out at us initially that put us in that direction. But those are all things that you consider, you know, you have to look into when you start an investigation.

[Family Member]

I guess they were wondering if I had a relationship with Karen. I reassured them and I was happily married and had no interest in Karen whatsoever.

[Advertiser]

Rich admits he had spoken to Karen that night, but he claims that she was calling in search of Danny.

[Family Member]

This wasn't answering his phone, and I said, no, I know I talked to him earlier that day and he said he didn't have any jobs. We worked on flooring together. I said, well, you need to call the police because I know Danny didn't go out at night.

[Advertiser]

Rich says around 3:30am Karen called him again. After detectives delivered the heartbreaking news.

[Family Member]

Karen said they found him. I said, well, is he okay? She said, no, he's dead. And they found him in his truck. And the truck was on fire and Danny was inside of it, which just put me into a shock. I couldn't believe it, you know.

[Advertiser]

As investigators continue talking to Rich, their suspicions change.

[Expert]

Rich and Danny seem to be close friends. They spent a lot of time together. He was distraught about how Danny passed away and wanted to cooperate with the case any way he could.

[Advertiser]

When detectives ask Rich for his whereabouts on the night of the murder, Rich claims that he was at home with his family.

[Detective]

Rich's alibi had checked out, so that's when he was pretty much eliminated as a suspect. He was just a good friend of Danny's.

[Family Member]

I think once the major case squad got to know me and knew that I was a sincere person, that helped me not become a person of interest.

[Advertiser]

Searching for a new angle, investigators ask Rich if Danny could have been involved in anything illegal.

[Family Member]

Danny was very responsible and a very honest person. He never drank. He never smoked around me.

[Advertiser]

Detectives also ask Rich for any insight into Danny's relationship with his wife, Karen.

[Family Member]

I was surprised at her demeanor compared to Danny's. She's just a much rougher person than he was. But Danny never talked negative about Karen at all, Something he kept to himself. But he did tell me a couple months before he died that they were having a few problems. You know, I guess they were having issues. He was kind of a private individual about those type of things.

[Advertiser]

After their interview with Rich, investigators reach out to other friends and family of Danny and Karen Coleman to inquire about their possible marital issues.

[Detective]

As we got into it, other things started to emerge that she may be having an affair.

[Advertiser]

And what's more, they learn through a close friend that Karen was allegedly hiding an active addiction.

[Witness]

They then learned that she was a user of cocaine and methamphetamines. She apparently had been involved in meth dealing for a number of years.

[Detective]

She allegedly was a very different person than what police were led to.

[Advertiser]

Please.

[Family Member]

I didn't know that she had a double life and was into drugs and having an affair. If Danny knew any of that, he would have divorced her in a heartbeat.

[Advertiser]

Coming up from behind prison walls, a deathbed confession.

[Investigator]

He confessed to his cellmate regarding a murder that he potentially set up and was involved with.

[Advertiser]

And more of Karen's dou is exposed.

[Family Member]

She was having an affair with her best friend's husband.

[Expert]

We felt like she knew a lot more information than what she was telling us.

[Narrator]

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[Advertiser]

October 24, 1992 it's been 48 hours since Danny Coleman was found beaten and burned in his own vehicle. Speaking with friends of Danny and his wife Karen, investigators have learned Karen was leading a double life that was destroying their marriage.

[Expert]

It was determined that Karen was dealing methamphetamine and that Danny had voiced his disdain about that drug dealing and was very upset at what she was doing. Karen was unhappy in the marriage and had several extramarital affairs on Danny. There were several names that popped up in the case and they were contacted as much as we could contact them and they were all interviewed.

[Advertiser]

Yet authorities cannot directly link Karen nor any of the men she had affairs with to the murder.

[Expert]

Investigators had done all their interviews, but a solid suspect was not identified and the case remained open from 1992 through about 1998.

[Advertiser]

Investigators run down every lead, but years pass and nothing ever materializes.

[Detective]

The case kind of stalled for a while. Each time you speak with somebody you get a little bit more information and Your investigation fans out until you just exhaust all the leads.

[Advertiser]

Finally, in 1999, the FBI field office in St. Louis receives a surprising call from officials at the Missouri State Penitentiary.

[Expert]

There was a phone call that started in the Missouri State prison system. They said there was a conversation in prison about a murder. The body was found in a rural field somewhere in Missouri.

[Advertiser]

Prison officials relay. The inmate claims that back in 1996, his former cellmate, convicted armed robber Larry Nolan, had made a stunning deathbed confession.

[Expert]

Larry Nolan had hepatitis, and he died from that in prison. But he did make some declarations prior to him passing away.

[Investigator]

He confessed to his cellmate regarding a murder that he potentially set up and was involved with. It was the murder of Danny Coleman.

[Expert]

That particular FBI agent started making phone calls to the St. Louis area, and he found that there was, in fact, a major case investigation in Franklin County, Missouri, an unsolved homicide where a body was found in a field in a rural area.

[Detective]

He contacted us and said he had some information from an inmate in the penitentiary here in Missouri that had some information about the homicide. So the next step was contacting him.

[Advertiser]

Agents and detectives immediately make their way to the prison to question the inmate, who explains the strange connection between the deceased, Larry Nolan and Danny Coleman.

[Witness]

Karen Coleman and Michelle Nolan, Larry's wife, were friends, and Karen apparently went with Michelle to visit Larry in prison.

[Advertiser]

Eventually, In December of 1989, Karen began visiting on her own.

[Expert]

Well, apparently Larry had some very strong feelings for Karen and was in love with Karen.

[Family Member]

She was having an affair with her best friend's husband. Kind of tells you the value Karen had for her best friend.

[Advertiser]

The inmate says that once Karen seduced Larry during visits, she asked him for a favor.

[Expert]

They were going to try to do a hit on Danny, kill Danny for the insurance proceeds.

[Family Member]

Danny had $50,000 worth of life insurance on him.

[Detective]

She made promises to him. Not only will I pay you $15,000, but we'll get married if you get rid of my husband.

[Expert]

Karen visited Larry numerous times while he was in Jefferson City, and the murder plot was hatched that way.

[Advertiser]

According to the inmate, Larry knew exactly who could help his longtime friend, James Cornhart. Cornhart worked locally in the Stanton area as a firefighter, but Larry knew for the right price, he would agree to facilitate the murder.

[Expert]

Larry and Karen had set this up. Karen had given him detailed information about the insurance policy and about Danny Coleman, and that Larry had passed that information on to James Kornhart about Danny's day to day activities.

[Advertiser]

The original cause of Danny's death Was ruled blunt force trauma. But the inmate reveals that Larry had orchestrated a shooting.

[Witness]

Larry was able to arrange the manufacture of a silencer that would fit a gun that James Cornhardt had. Larry put Karen in touch with James, Then had a silencer manufactured for James pistol.

[Advertiser]

The inmate claims that after Danny was killed, Karen continued to visit until 1996. Then, out of nowhere, she dropped Larry like a bad habit.

[Expert]

Larry Nolan was very irate that he did not get any insurance proceeds after this. Karen had quit visiting him after the murder. He felt like he'd been double crossed on this, and he was very angry. Not only not getting the money, but he thought he was in love with Karen.

[Detective]

He had two reasons to confess. He never got paid. She never married him.

[Advertiser]

It's an unbelievable tale, but is it true? Investigators first look into Larry Nolan's prison records.

[Expert]

Sure enough, Jim Cornhart was on Larry Nolan's visiting list. Karen Coleman was on Larry Nolan's visiting list. So the information that was being provided was independently cooperated.

[Advertiser]

As far as the possibility of Danny being shot. Investigators ask the medical examiner to reevaluate her original findings.

[Detective]

We had received information that he had been shot, and then she went back to check to see if that was possible.

[Advertiser]

The severe damage had initially disguised it, but the ME does find new evidence to suggest a shooting.

[Expert]

The lead snowstorm is a term that coroners use for debris or metallic substances that show up in an X ray of tissue or bone, Typically lead from a bullet or shrapnel from a bullet that embeds itself in skulls. And in this particular case, Dr. Case did say that there was a snowstorm in some of the bone fragments from Danny's head.

[Advertiser]

With the inmate's story becoming more plausible, on July 12, 1999, investigators decide to interview the suspected hitman, James Cornhart.

[Detective]

He denied everything, said he didn't know Karen Coleman, and pretty much, you know, blew us off that we didn't know what we were talking about.

[Expert]

Jim Kornhart would not submit to an interview, which is his right not to do.

[Advertiser]

Investigators next confront Danny's widow with their new evidence, but meet a similar front.

[Expert]

Karen Coleman denied any involvement in this. We felt like she knew a lot more information than what she was telling us.

[Advertiser]

Karen admits she'd gotten into hard drugs, and that had led to her infidelity.

[Witness]

Karen didn't talk too much about her, about her feelings about her relationship with Danny. She did basically blame it on the drugs.

[Advertiser]

Still, she swears she had nothing to do with Danny's death. And the interview ends without A confession. Investigators know Karen never paid Larry Nolan for the crime, but think perhaps there's a paper trail connecting her to James Cornhardt.

[Investigator]

I'm aware of, of her obtaining, receiving like $50,000 for the death benefit. I guess it was on a life policy.

[Expert]

We were able to track several payments, at least several of them in $5,000 installments to Jim Kornhorn after the murder.

[Advertiser]

Coming up, a simple phone call puts the killers within reach.

[Expert]

They had made some very incriminating recovery courted statements about some of the evidence that was used in the case.

[Advertiser]

As the investigation heats up, a witness comes forward with jaw dropping information.

[Investigator]

He admitted to us he was the one that actually shot him.

[Advertiser]

Seven years after the murder of Danny Coleman, an inmate informant reveals that convict Larry Nolan admitted to arranging the homicide at the behest of Danny's wife, Karen Coleman.

[Expert]

The case was a very large conspiracy. It was difficult to investigate. It was even more difficult to prosecute. Larry Nolan, who is deceased, made some deathbed declarations before his death. So you have to go back and verify that information. You have to be able to gather enough evidence to present it to a jury.

[Advertiser]

Investigators know Karen Coleman received $50,000 in insurance proceeds after her husband's death and that she made several payments to alleged hitman James Cornhart. But prosecutors still aren't convinced there's enough evidence to convict Karen or James.

[Expert]

If one person on that jury has any reasonable doubt about Karen Coleman's involvement and about James Cornhart's involvement in the murder, they very easily could have walked away from this.

[Advertiser]

And once again, the case stalls.

[Family Member]

I know that even it was a cold case, they were still continuing to work on it. And I felt good that one day it would get resolved.

[Advertiser]

In 2008, investigators decide to contact the U.S. attorney's office in St. Louis, who agrees to prosecute at the federal level.

[Detective]

We were missing the manpower to follow through with it. We got them interested in the case, they were able to help us out and decided to take it over at that particular point. That was right before the charges were issued. The investigation had been quiet, out of the public eye for years. And all of a sudden there was an indictment for James Kornhart and Karen Coleman.

[Expert]

It put us to the test to make sure all the I's were dotted and the T's were crossed.

[Advertiser]

On December 12, 2008, federal authorities prepare to arrest 49 year old James Cornhart on conspiracy to commit murder for hire.

[Investigator]

We subsequently responded to Kornhart's place of employment, which was a firehouse in the St. Louis area here because he was currently employed as a fireman. Went to the firehouse and we placed him under arrest. He was in denial on just about everything. And we subsequently took him from there. And he would have been processed then down at the FBI office.

[Detective]

When he was processed, obviously he was fingerprinted.

[Advertiser]

Examiners compare his prints to the fingerprint found on the cellophane wrapper at the crime scene, which has been sitting in an evidence locker for 16 years.

[Expert]

They scientifically analyzed those prints to the latent prints on the cellophane around the match book cover. And those prints matched.

[Advertiser]

With Danny's alleged killer in custody. Investigators set their sights on Danny's widow, 54 year old Karen Coleman.

[Expert]

We went out early in the morning to locate her. She wasn't home at the time. We subsequently arrested her away from the house.

[Family Member]

They told me that there had been some arrests made and one of the arrests was Karen Coleman. And I was thrilled to hear that information.

[Advertiser]

While James and Karen await trial, the United States Attorney's office works in tandem with law enforcement to strengthen their case. They start by reviewing James prison calls, listening for anything incriminating.

[Investigator]

Jim Carnhart was detained at the St. Louis County justice center in Clayton, Missouri, where of course, as all inmates do they have access to a phone.

[Expert]

He had called and had a conversation with a friend of his, Steve Mueller, and had made some very incriminating recorded statements about some of the evidence that was used in the case.

[Witness]

James calls Stephen from jail and says, can you get rid of this gun and silencer and some ammo that's in my house.

[Detective]

Hi, Jim, how you doing?

[Expert]

Yeah, hold on. Steve.

[Advertiser]

Yeah.

[Expert]

Steve, do me a favor.

[Detective]

Yeah. All right. Go back and fireplace. Yeah.

[Expert]

Reach up inside, grab the 22 rifles.

[Advertiser]

That'S over the.

[Detective]

Head furnace up on.

[Narrator]

The thing, give that jam to get.

[Advertiser]

To sun ghost squirrel hunting on.

[Detective]

And.

[Advertiser]

Then they're stuck outside in the other garage.

[Detective]

I made the phone call and asked him to go find. It was actually a silencer made out of a lawnmower muffler. And he asked him to dispose of that.

[Expert]

Throw that muffler away and I.

[Narrator]

Guess I'll might get out.

[Detective]

We'll work on the muffler for the.

[Expert]

Go kart if you understand.

[Detective]

Yeah.

[Advertiser]

Okay. I appreciate you sticking with me.

[Expert]

Yeah.

[Advertiser]

After reviewing the calls, investigators immediately tracked down Steve Mueller.

[Witness]

Dakota talked to him and he initially denies everything and then eventually cracks.

[Investigator]

Steve knew the story. We didn't tell him the story. He told us the story which was consistent with what we had already known. It was almost like a relief to him. He wanted to get off his shoulders. That's when he became more forthcoming and really explaining it out.

[Advertiser]

Steve admits he did get rid of the items per James request.

[Witness]

Stephen goes to Jim's house, takes these things, and throws him off the Jefferson Barracks bridge in south St. Louis County.

[Advertiser]

Steve's statement clarifies what happened to the silencer, but it also adds to the growing list of conspirators.

[Investigator]

So James Kornhart was initially the one that Larry Nolan reached out to do the hit, so to speak. Once Kornhart agreed to do it, he had Mueller, Stephen Mueller go with him, and that's when he explained that he was there with Kornhart.

[Advertiser]

In Steve's interview with police, he says on the night of October 22, 1992, he met James and another individual who went by the name Dozer.

[Witness]

Steve didn't know if Dozer was a friend of Jim's or a friend of Larry's or just some, you know, random person who showed up.

[Advertiser]

Steve tells investigators that he, James and Dozer lured Danny Coleman to a vacant house, claiming to have information about Karen's infidelity. Steve says as soon as Danny arrived, the three attacked.

[Investigator]

They beat him still. I don't know what the instrument was they used, but I know they finished it with, I believe it was three shots in which Stephen Mueller admitted to us he was the one that actually shot him.

[Advertiser]

Afterwards, Steve says, the three men disposed of Danny's body.

[Investigator]

They walked him out to the victim's own truck, put him in the truck, and then one drove the truck, one drove the car that they had came in.

[Advertiser]

They drove on Highway 44 and eventually exited in Stanton.

[Investigator]

There was a cut, you know, through a field that opened up, and that is where they took it to the middle of the field and set it ablaze with Danny Coleman in the front passenger seat of the truck. At that time.

[Detective]

The next step was getting the case organized and presenting it in court.

[Advertiser]

Coming up, before trial gets underway, Karen changes her tune.

[Expert]

She decided to help herself out and wanted to provide more information about who was involved.

[Family Member]

She could go ahead and wouldn't have to live a double life anymore.

[Advertiser]

June 2010. After a nearly 20 year investigation, Danny Coleman's alleged killers now face prosecution. And authorities believe the ringleader of the plot was Danny's wife, Karen.

[Family Member]

I don't understand how a person that you've been married to for a long time and had a child with would want to have him killed.

[Advertiser]

Though. Karen's co conspirator, Larry Nolan, Died before charges were filed. Prosecutors charge alleged hitmen James Cornhart and Steve Mueller with conspiracy to commit murder for hire and first degree murder. A third alleged hitman, identified only as Dozer, remains at large. As prosecutors prep for trial, they receive shocking news from Karen's attorney.

[Expert]

She knew that she was going to be charged with a conspiracy to commit murder for hire. She decided to help herself out and wanted to provide more information about who was involved, why they were involved, and how it happened.

[Advertiser]

Karen sits down with authorities and finally comes clean. According to Karen, she wanted out of her marriage to Danny and used Larry's feelings for her to open the door.

[Family Member]

Karen thought she could go ahead and wouldn't have to live a double life anymore, that she was better off without him.

[Detective]

She basically blamed it on the drugs. She said, now that I'm sober, I have a whole new perspective on things.

[Advertiser]

Karen admits she knew about Danny's life insurance policy and had planned to use the money not only to start anew, but to pay the others. She confirms that Larry Nolan was promised $2,000, James Cornhart 17,000, and Steve Mueller 1,200 to carry out the plot.

[Witness]

It seems like an incredibly cold and calculated crime for Jim and Stephen and Dozer because they didn't really have anything against Danny. They're really just doing it for the promise of some money down the line.

[Advertiser]

Karen says that after Larry recruited James, James recruited two people of his own.

[Witness]

James enlists his friend Stephen Mueller and this mystery guy who's only ever been named as Dozer to actually do the killing. Dozer's identity has never been made public, perhaps because Steve didn't know it, But Dozer is still a mystery.

[Advertiser]

Karen ultimately pleads guilty to conspiracy and murder for hire characters and makes a deal. Hoping for a lighter sentence.

[Expert]

She agreed to testify, and she just didn't want to do it in front of her son Joby. And Joby ultimately agreed he wanted to see justice done, and he agreed not to sit in the trial during his mother's testimony about how she killed his father.

[Advertiser]

In June 2010, the joint trial for James Kornhardt and Steve Mueller gets underway.

[Expert]

Karen's testimony was helpful. The latent fingerprint on the matches and the recorded phone calls and the other information that came out of the prison that was ultimately corroborated all led to a very successful prosecution.

[Advertiser]

On June 14, 2010, the jury finds James Kornhart and Steve Mueller guilty, and both men are sentenced to life in prison.

[Detective]

The sentence was satisfactory. I mean, we, you know, there's a lot of hard work. And considering the nature of the crime, you know, we felt that it was justified.

[Expert]

It did provide some closure for everybody involved. Joby was extremely thankful that they could finally get some closure on the case.

[Advertiser]

As for Karen Coleman, she receives 20 years in federal prison as a result of her cooperation.

[Family Member]

I was very disappointed in that. I thought she should have got life, too. She was a murderer, too. Even though she might not have been involved at the time of his death, she's the one that instilled in people that he should be killed.

[Advertiser]

Authorities continue to search for the mystery man known only as Dozer.

[Expert]

If anybody else out there has any knowledge of this whatsoever, the case is still open. Reach out, get some closure, and tell law enforcement what you know.

[Advertiser]

And while the sting of heartbreak lessens over time, Danny's memory will forever live on.

[Family Member]

He was an asset to this world. He was just a great guy, and he totally got blindsided by his wife, which led to his death.

[Narrator]

James Cornhart and Steve Mueller are serving their life sentences in federal prison. Karen Coleman died in prison in 2022.

[Detective]

Dracula, the ancient vampire who terrorizes Victorian London. Blood and garlic, bats and crucifixes.

[Expert]

Even if you haven't read the book.

[Advertiser]

You think you know the story. One of the incredible things about Dracula is that not only is it this.

[Investigator]

Wonderful snapshot of the 19th century, but.

[Expert]

It also has so much resonance today.

[Investigator]

The vampire doesn't cast a reflection in a mirror, so when we look in the mirror, the only thing we see is our own monstrous abilities.

[Detective]

From the host and producer of American History and History Daily comes the new.

[Expert]

Podcast, the Real History of Dracula.

[Advertiser]

We'll reveal how author Bram Stoker rated ancient folklore, exploited Victorian fears around sex, science and religion, and how even today, we remain enthralled to his strange creatures of the night.

[Detective]

You can binge all episodes of the.

[Advertiser]

Real History of Dracula exclusively with Wondery plus.

[Detective]

Join Wondry and the Wondry app, Apple podcasts, or Spotify.