In 1984, Alton Coleman and Debra Brown went on a deadly killing spree that spanned 6 states. In a short time span of 2 months this deadly duo committed 8 murders, 7 rapes, and 3 kidnappings.
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This is an unofficial transcript meant for reference. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
The
hello. Everyone I'd like to welcome you to the very first episode of the true crime, all the time podcast, I'm your home,
MIKE ferguson so very, very excited to finally get out this first episode, this podcast
It has been a long time in the making
I first started down this path. I really had no idea how much work was involved in starting a podcast
but when I made the decision that I wanted to do a podcast, there was really only one subject, and that was true. Crime
been fascinated with true crime: murderers, serial killers for his long
I can remember now
most of you are familiar with Jeffrey Dahmer, we covered him in multiple episodes. What a twisted individual mind of a monster from iD is out with a fourth season about Jeffrey Dahmer, on mind of a monster doctor. Michelle war takes us through the story, starting with damas childhood and the first murder all the way through his death. The podcast features jaw dropping never before heard audio recordings from the detectives, journalists and others close to the case to explore exactly what happened and how
his killer, came to be so. This sounds like a very deep dark and for me, anytime, you get never before heard audio from people very close to the case. Ahmet, listen to mind of a monster on apple podcasts, spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Please remember to subscribe to the podcast on itunes
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One thing I want to say up front is that this podcast
is not meant for young years so print.
Guidance is advised this
jack matter that the podcast covers is
violent nature? We're talking.
Some of the most served individuals and violent cases in the history of crime
at this time would like to introduce my guest house for this episode. Might gibson
is a colleague who also has an interest in true crime since we're
both mics I'll call him gibi just so no one gets confused so gibi. What's going on hey how you doing mike,
good, I'm good man, just
like I said, I'm super excited. I think you
particular know how long I've been waiting to get this, sir. The ticket
episode and podcast started ass. A big big always been a big passion of yours,
Yeah decided, I'm excited for you to finally bring this forward
yeah. So how do things giving you know
It was good always busy because I know you're a true crime and you love all that stuff. So I made my gift
you for thanksgiving
If I have a little thanksgiving, true crime for you on, and it was them or twenty six, two thousand and nine and south florida you're like this. My.
there was a guy named Paul marheyo think his name was murdered.
He had thanksgiving meal with sixteen family members and friends,
we're. Just sit around the table. Conversing in joking
and after dinner, he decided to about a hang on, he executed for relatives
including his cousin, along its twin sister, one who was pregnant and also his cousin, which was six year six years.
and afterward. He reportedly said that he's been
waiting twenty years do this. He fled the sea
They got em and eventually they caught up the video and he got seven consecutive weiss life sentences so
holy shit. So a lot of people have some stress during thanksgiving. You know coming back to see the family and all that. So this is what this is extremely.
Seven of thanksgiving gone wrong, tat. You know,
I'm not sure I've I've heard of that
if I did, I don't remember,
couple of things right. Sixteen
people, that's a big ass, thanksgiving dinner. First of all, you, where I live,
and then you know
scorn on what this guy that he's been waiting.
twenty years to
plan are now execute. This will execute these people right exactly as Chris
I'll have to look it up at yeah like that that fire that family diet,
dynamic, bear you know what what what went wrong so early
his life, but he felt needed to do that, but I guess it s room. A waiter pocket
two years yeah. I will do that honour on a later one, but so
to stay on that subject for awhile killing
Sixteen people that that's a big deal waiting
twenty years ago. The kill sixteen people.
think I'm almost more shocked at that
yeah. That's what a bizarre things!
right right emulated twenty years to execute the folks at he did in a family members
that you know young ones in the mix as well. So
hatred he must have had
other yasser the moat aloud
people weren't even alive when twenty years
Before that so exactly, but it shows that it is mental state,
how he was mentally so
they're in laughin jochen, actually article eight one talks about how they did sometimes you know, sung some sing along.
color the thorough evening before before you wanna, messed up
yeah. Well, you I talked in in in my introduction episode about them the mental
aspect and I think for sure,
that's one of the main things that just really gets:
about
some of these people how they can
what they do? What drives them to do? What they do
yeah you and I have known each other for a while and.
I just can't imagine knowing any one that has
kind of thought
sir wiring, or what
If we're going to get into it, I mean that's what this podcast is going to be about. I guess people that are, you know, do that
types of things that
you and I and most
people there listening to this podcast I may they they just never. Would they couldn't dream of
Now we are using never suspect certain people would do what they do so interesting,
yeah, no good store. You re to get into this first step said absolutely. I understood so the two
baker. The case
we're can be talking about tonight
had chosen
A man and woman serial killer, do oh all,
common endeavour, brown, modern,
bonding, lie yeah yeah, I mean they really working
and you and I had talked about this- you know we ve been researching this for a little while we knew we were gonna. Do this one? One of the main reasons why I suggested it is
because of the ties to our home town of dayton, ohio. I can remember I mean,
maybe been
ten or eleven years old
and this was
big time news indeed
ohio and I don't know why. I can remember that. I'm not saying that Jumps-
I did my
fascination with true crime. They could have. I don't know, but I definitely remember
and I do- and I think you know you go back to the time frame,
you didn't, have all the year mean,
channels in
the social media and on the internet so mean you have basically three tv
annals of new. So when a big big news broke, you know you ve, typically gotta attack got to hear it.
there was another channel, let the kid wrong to protect them from that title story.
You mean spongebob, no spongebob back their husbands.
No sir, I'm going around cat. There was captain kangaroo, MR rogers, rather there so yeah
he's the kind of set the scene a little bit of this was a deadly pair. They went
killing spree that spans six states and include
eight murders,
seven rapes. Three kid
happenings.
so I mean this was this is about.
How do I know for sure, and I think that.
Not that all of that's not crazy, but you know one of the
crazy things about this is all of this occurred in just a small two month period of time, so
I think that add something to it absolutely
The other thing that I that I really found
fascinating about
this is that both all
common endeavour: brown we're african american.
The brown, obviously an
hurricane american female,
two facts
in itself. I think help make
case stand out.
made its well known every by listening that ended.
crime knows that,
majority of serial killers. There
White males means just
In fact, you ve got
in a small number of famous women. You ve got the Eileen war, no son, you know you,
at some others, but think
combination. Avc
American mail and half gonna marry
female really
stands out in the annals of
crime. I am not sure
If I've seen this before
so yeah. I want to point out that that I do think it helps it stand out so well,
start out talking about their childhood. I think
most people would agree that, when you're looking at sea
killers
you really going back to china
heard to see some of them
the and in some of the things that may have caused
I too ultimately end
doing what they, what they do?
So odin coleman is born on November six, nineteen, fifty five in what keegan illinois
his mother work, three jobs.
And at some point
mike. I think you know a little bit more about this may be, but I know it's
point, he live with his seventy three year old grandmother in walk, hagen right, so so here's here's! What I find interesting is that think his thought process
were mode at an early age because he knows more mary dates:
I he never knew who his father was right in his mom was it was a drug use.
A gambler a prostitute, but you gotta go back a little bit and room.
We now look at this and remember Mary badge. You know she she was at fourteen pregnant with her first child. She was sent autistic
school and then shortly thereafter she was sent.
a better she ended up better psych hospital because she was found.
Guilty of effecting a man would syphilis on purpose, and then it was around nineteen fifty that she left her first child behind in
move to three states up oklahoma and had two more children with her first husband decided for years later to leave those kids behind and came back.
lucky again where she lived in the they called the market street area and it's gonna go
Blue collar, predominantly black city lake Michigan
between the Chicago Milwaukee area and
given that fly, they got the five blocker residential area. Back on that day, which I support
Wouldn't shacks around the railroad tracks were a lot of the garbage dump were in junkyards happen to be
and that was a neighborhood tat. Woman was born into
the summit, not you're not catch off it was it. Was
point where she moved out, Oklahoma semi is that why he's living with his seventy? Through your grandmother, no notice
before I mean so she comes back after being with her husband. She comes back in you know through her prostitution. She gets pregnant with alton has alton throws out
in the trash. Can her ma makes her take alt an hour. The trash came back
her mom alma. You know she gonna takes over raising
Alton on and off because you know
mary she's living in a kind of like a prostitution house. You know all this
as you know, a round that day in day out, seeing the drugs drug activity seen sex acts happening right in front of them to the poor.
my god, you know- and I don't want to jump ahead on here, but I found it interesting that
during that time that he was staying at that the prostitution house he actually stall
one of the jar watch and I believe wallet at the age of five and at that point
it was the first time he was arrested for theft at the age of five,
basically, what you're saying is
common was fu barred from the gekko
absolutely even his grandma would call him
vulgar nicknames, because this is a kid that you know clearly
from the way he was raised yet
anxiety, so he soiled himself nightly in so his grandma,
in a way that would mean that look. The kids in the neighborhood would talk about how we will flex his aunts or time, and she added
name form and- and I guess he did as always to the age of twelve or thirteen so that the gates teased him the grand maltese them
body. That was also teach them. So I think this also sets that mindset daddy ends up that wiring. It
had not imagine that even his graham all in both his mom and grandma, both abused of wisdom,
extension gourds. So I think all this builds into. How is he knows his mental status comes about
Well. Yeah agrees, obviously no excuse for what he ends up doing and bulgaria will get in arabic, the crimes and stuff like that. But you know it does.
two up bringing you know why
your exposed to at a young age, and it does seem like a lot of these people.
Go on to commit these heinous crimes
they have similar backgrounds, whether its
glass door being?
often
It's just things like that that dumb it now
the flip side. Let's
point out.
I'm sure there was a lot of other people on that neighbourhood. That probably had maybe not
Why is bad but pretty somewhere up rings and they didn't go out and kill people and rate
I yeah, I agree with you, it's just interest it. No, it is, I I think about it and think about
at eleven years old? He was gambling in the streets. You know, according to his brother, daddy right he's out there gambling
and the alleys
wedding, the money to buy his drugs and his alcohol at eleven.
Oh, so you weren't doing that. I dunno, I wasn't yeah, you are. Maybe you I that's how I had to go and that's how I had earned my money and eleven. But you know your
whatever neighbourhood than now
I made were given a little little background and enter into his
mikey and upbringing. So common drops,
school in middle school.
Normally not a good sign right now,
He's well known to the illinois law enforcement community,
He was charged with sir
crimes, six different times between
teen seventy three in eighteen. Eighty, three too,
the cases were dismissed with common
in guilty to lesser charges, so obviously
The guy is,
you he has a sex problem.
Yeah he's he's
actual criminal for sure.
point in time and a couple of those he was acquitted of, but but
It brings us to another
part of his child.
heard and I'm not sure when he was diagnosed with some of these things. I don't know, probably not as a kid could have even been
Later on after he was in the penal system, but
I just want to read off some of these things that that I read
the common was diagnosed with so
personality disorder, anti
a social.
narcissistic and obsessive features
the additional diagnosis is including epilepsy, epileptic,
fathoms, it's easy for you to say
kosis,
and borderline personality disorder, at that
sounds like a lot to me. That's that's a whole lot. You, though, but but yet the court's decided parole him the nineteen. Seventy six right so and am sure that this was
I will discover some of their stirring, learn that the two years he was in prison it out through their own studies of em
I was in there, but for what reason, amene writings, every sixties, parole somehow make you know.
in nineteen eighty he was, he was able to hold. You know two jobs, only the only jobs ever had in his life, but it was very short
at a time- and you know from what you just said- it's kind of scary- that in one job he was a nurse's aide for two months
another job. He was the recreation supervisor at the ba hospital and or chicago to places. You think somebody with those issues listed probably should not then
You know it was the seventies again yeah I mean that's all I can say right. So yeah
again, he's been in jail for sex crimes, you're, not
jump ahead to talk
about his future crimes. But you know
he was scheduled to go on trial
for the rape of a fourteen year old girl
the time that
fleas and and and begins this killing.
Spree that we're gonna there we're gonna talk about. So you know, folks, I love audible, audible, less me enjoy all of my audio entertainment in one as an honourable member, you can choose one title among to keep from their entire catalogue, including the latest best sellers and new release. You also get access to a growing selection of included audio books, audible originals in podcast. Like a mention, you can download a stream included titles. All you want. I like the fact that animal goes with me wherever I go with our want to listen to a podcast or a different type of title. It's there from new members can try audible, free for thirty days, visit, audible, dot com, slash t cat, tcp or text. He
to five hundred five hundred, that's audible, dot, com, slash d cat or text, t c, a t t to five hundred five hundred hey there t can't fans. I want to talk to you about etsy. I love to shop on etsy for beautifully made items from independent sellers. Etsy sellers have everything from statement pieces like rugs and sofas to daily staples like outerwear and accessories shop, jackets, jewelry furniture, art and more made for all budgets, and any occasion I've been able to find some really great handmade. True crime related things on etsy and I feel great about these purchases. Someone put a lot of work in to these items and I love them. We keep them in the studio. You owe it to yourself to check etsy out. I know you'll find something on there that you really like whether it's something true crime related or not. Maybe it's a new coat, maybe it's a great new pair of shoes, new to etsy use the code new for ten percent off your first purchase. That's code, new maximum discount value of fifty dollars offer ends june thirtieth. Two thousand twenty three c terms that etsy dot com, slash terms for home style and gifts, shop, etsy, dot com, etsy has so let's talk about dev around for a little bit.
or brown is one of was
I see her, she still alive, but one of eleven children listed
as borderline, intellectually disabled.
Suffered head Traum as a child which there again, if you
read about a lot of silk serial killers. Read about a lot of true crime
trauma as a child.
Gacy had it I mean you can just take off the number of a big time
ro killers that were purported to have.
Suffered head trauma as a child. It's a it's a big factor.
it appears to be a big factor so
so are you I mean what are they saying your mike? Are they saying that, even though she was I came her? How old she was? Was she twenty one or something like that? But at that age, are they saying, even though she was twenty one, her mental status
as what a ten year old, a twelve year old in the when I read it didn't say so. I guess you could know exactly what
intellectually disabled is
No, I
it is fair to say that she probably had a fair, fairly low. I q
she was also diagnosed with them. You have some different types of
now the disorder, so both them together had that
You know what what's interesting about brown. You mentioned the head trauma being
Decatur of future bad behavior. But
ever brown, wasn't isn't the one.
That instigated this killing spray,
we're gonna talk about as we get into a she went along and actually participated in some of it, but on
her own. I dont think she would have on out
been alone serial killer or committed.
the heinous acts that ended up happening had it
I've been fraught and call me so when I grew up
That no way to say for sure, but I mean that's my that's my guess on it so brown
Was engaged to a man
the time that she met comin
This was in nineteen. Eighty three
and she ends up leaving her family
and moving and with common, not that long after
meeting him. It appears we talked about her
probably not instigating this
whole killings brianna own, but
clearly says that she was a willing participant.
The thing that I found interesting is in all
reading it it stated
yo brown basically had no history of violence
She had no record anyone
occasion that she'd had trouble with the law until she metal common, that a kind of goes back to me,
Thinking that these the catalyst for this whole thing and
for having a low, I q,
probably didn't help in this,
did she was either duped, or course store talked in going along with with his plans. Well, what are you
Thank you. We get into talking about some other crimes. I think we should welcome.
quick, sound bite that I'm gonna play and then we will learn we'll get in?
to the timeline the parents
to be accompanied by a perpetrates acts of violence against.
Almost anyone who comes in contact with seems to have a special way of luring children into his death trap was candy.
Frankfurt. Is
Some similar endorsement, which were appealed to very young children, he will go into
neighborhoods in order to get whatever items he needs for survival. This is independent of his effort to obtain young, like girls.
For his deviate purposes, common is thought to be travelling with Deborah brown, a former lover
but whether she is a willing accomplice or a captive is not clear.
It is a master slave top relationship
grab is being willing to do anything that item common task to do.
So there you, you, hear that sound bite a couple of interesting things. It then
about me that the last
heart there. I think we're the the
active as saying that they believe it too definitely be a master slave relationship, in his words master slave, where there there
Understanding is that you,
We're browns willing to do whatever alden coleman wants her to do without question.
the other thing in your game
what will make light of things? Sometimes even talking about these,
terrible crimes, but she heard this police officer. Please.
Commissioner, whoever it is. I don't know his name, but here
talking about how
alton coleman is luring these victims.
Says candy, and then he says frankfurt
and I'm thinkin, you have
candy. We, we were all told you know, don't take candy from strangers
nobody ever said: don't take frankfurter from strangers fat that there must be a there must be a chicago cannabis,
yeah. It's definitely my guess. I don't know who it was, but I'm sure it was up. Illinois air
It could have even been was wisconsin
the way that we all around us and what I want to come up and grab rather frankfurter rang out from somebody in a way with yeah. I don't know
I dont know what is lured by a frankfurter, but they
obviously they had some.
Unless he was just talking out of his ass. He he had some knowledge that that was a tactic, we're where they did have without the least
from what I recall they had one surviving and which should be reviewed
cover that. But you know there was one surviving kid
you time by any right, yeah yeah yeah
if we get Danny pretty pretty quickly into the crimes, but did you
read somewhere, where any said she was given a frankfurt, but
that. Maybe that's worthy, the detective gotta run. You know, I don't know where else he got it from since most of the other victims, new debt survive so well. There should
hopefully there's, no kids listening to this podcast, but I guess
and you're gonna have to update you're you're react
or to add? Don't take?
Andy from strangers, don't take frank
rose from strangers either because, apparently that's that's a thing, no more
put her no more knock under, so we began
may twenty nine? The killer
spree begins
the murder of nine year old for nita wheat who coleman kidnapped from wisconsin any better.
illinois after
befriending renewed his mother summit
stop that that I read and mike I know you have a lot to.
One nita who is ver need as mother parent,
He allowed for needed.
company common to his apartment to pick up a stereo system,
And they never returned
there were there was a customer at a local club
that ultimately testified that
Male, who I think
he identified is common
four nita who
even mine is
nine years all right. I just makes me as its main
second, my stomach, I like it, does and me we're gonna some this
there were going to be talking about is, is I mean it
its nasty when you really think about it. But
They they enter a club at approximately eleven thirty at night,
what kind of nine year old is allowed to enter a club?
I may again we're talking. This is early eighties. Now right. This is eighty four, but still I just
I don't? I don't get that it all. I guess
the man uses that
phone, and in a few minutes later a cab arrives to pick them both up. So
on june nineteenth. So that's that's what proximately?
three weeks almost after that.
The body of unita wheat was discovered in the bathroom and abandoned building in what keegan Illinois.
she had been raped and strangled
We go through these crimes.
We're going to be saying that a lot this
the heinous part of autumn comin,
number one: his vic
of choice was young african american females, and when I say young, I mean very young and
number two key
he was a sexual deviant, so he read
in in normally strangled
This is no Benita. You know here here she is in this abandoned building you now
You find out that it was actually only by four blocks from common grandma's apartment or east.
You know serving areas
not always a attacking young innocent,
children in our it's an eastern right now he's doing in his own back yard. Right, I mean the east. He so
here was that he is ok just to step out of them.
Backyard and VON in these victims. Yeah minutes, it's scary,
on June eighteenth- then we get
and two to make a turks. So to me,
the turks, the seven years old
she is being a cop,
indeed by her nine year old, aunt, Annie
and they are
Did in Gary Indiana, both girls,
sexually assaulted by both alton and Deborah brown,
Two Mika is strangled to death, Annie's left for dead, but somehow manages to survive.
and then the very next day
on june nineteen to make his body
is found in that
is tat. It just happened
to be the same
exact day that for need a wheats body was found.
Again we said this in the beginning. This all of this takes place in a very, very short amount of time.
you're gonna, see the jew nineteenth was aim was, was a very
busy day they had discussed.
Third to bodies already,
go ahead. I know you want to talk about any here in a minute. I hear it. I do. I said I'll, let you finish your point, but then I wanted just to you know just quickly.
give you an interesting
Story about any yeah, so
why I mentioned june. Nineteen.
Also on june nineteenth- and I'm in a circle back around to see me again and Annie but on
nineteen, the couples believed tat: the abducted donna williams, who is twenty five?
body was discovered on July eleven. So
he too had been strangled and rate. I dont know if they ultimately prove that
It was
common and brown, but
just found that very strange that you ve got that
day your lot
happened on that one day, but I want to go.
two to meet any for little.
Before you tell
some of the interesting facts it you uncovered, and this is this is gonna, be hard for some people the here, but I think it's
its necessary too.
Vague the m. The gravity of what happened,
Parent Lee, I said brow
was was definitely involved so
Meeker was crying brow,
was holding her nose and mouth.
Common stomping on her chest.
Again we're talking about a seven year old girl.
couldn't be any more innocent. They carried
make a short distance away. Any
forced to
form sex acts on both brown and common comin.
Aye sir brow
comin to together choker
until she's unconscious. So again we see we already said, Annie any lives when she
exactly
with coleman and brown are gone to me,
is found dead in the bushes very close to where any wakes up to
meeker strangle with an elastic strip of a bed she.
later on. It will be found out this
Exact fabric was found in the apartment that coleman and brown share together, but
I know you get right talk about any. So I have to say this, and this was probably
he did. I almost got a little sick to my stomach one. When I saw this one but dick
hot, Annie, so bad, so deep that hurt
intestines were put.
Protruding into her vision
I mean that they, they decimated this girl
and somehow she survived
Secondly, it is the sickening and fact it she's
via is amazing, but now
we find out later in life that trauma what that did to her just missed the rest of her life.
She was. She was never give an opportunity to be like
this young girls,
she never was given the opportunity to be
you know a young lady. She had a bad after that. You know so. The interesting part of this is that you know it was around twenty
it while she and her two sons, Kenneth coleman,
No no relation owsley, but now
randy. Terrell
and, of course, any at that time-
thirty eight. They attempted murder and wrong
free and car jacking up in that
in that same area. So you know here here she is she's. Had all this terrible trauma,
tour sets her life honour on a bad course. Thereafter,
now. She is serving prison time cause of fur. I think what happened to her
and her childhood,
set, her honor does on a bad course. I I can only think that it that had to be there
reason for her to go down this path so yeah I when we, you told me I'd. I had not. I didn't find that in my research and when you told me about that, I was amazed, but I think it does. It goes full circle back
what we talked about as far as child
upbringing, though
formative years, make you
You ultimately are gonna, be if
This never hat. If she never encounters all
common and
we're brown is not new,
brutally raped by them and and cut up and left her dad is her.
Life completely different,
you would have to think. Probably yes, I think so
It just shows that this is the third attempt it
murder robbery, car jacking, this all took place
in over one size, shot her boyfriend. They other son used a baseball bat
You know she and she also contributed and who is
we're something so minor as who used the last of the salad dressing
so that's crazy that that would all happen
over just a
but a salad dressing, but I think it in some
former fashion has to go.
To know what
and her in her childhood and we'd, be crazy to think that that dad didn't play a factor in it somehow
yeah, they definitely you know her mantles. You know status. That's right word
You know she grew up in the same neighborhood
neighbor. You know here she is nine years old. She's got this terrible scar,
nobody knows that she was sexually assaulted and you know
You know a grown up. Kids are brutal.
Not already compassion.
Not only this year, they have to deal with the physical scars. She's got all the mental scars from what actually happened to her, but then
she's, I'm sure you know that rough neighbour, these kids, are just now
being kind, and I think that just set sir this course for her to just destroy the light that she should have had
that what she would have had. If this never happened to her side, and that's that
yeah, it is said- I I think you can you can make it.
To say that she wooden could
have gone on to do you know something
add on our own, but to say
the distant play, a factor that thou be not right. Yeah, meda, deftly stacked attack against her brain so
let's get onto the next crime.
Common and brown they next
up in michigan
July or I'm sorry june, twenty eightth they break into
couples home fishes.
the attack them with the lead pipe
those somehow both of them survive?
Common and brown steal their money in car industry
Another thing that you see
This is basically.
therein mo through throughout this whole too.
Spree is that the rate
strangulation breaking
people's houses still in their money, stealing their car.
Get to their next destination
You see that in almost every one of these, so at this point
headed to ohio
in ohio
they
friend a woman named Virginia temple, who
several children,
including a nine year old.
name michelle,
ultimately,
bodies are discovered inside across space and temples home. I'm sure
I'm sorry, I said at all: it's.
Virginia rochelle are discovered and both were strangle.
to now, we get to July. Eleventh still,
nineteen eighty four.
fifteen year old tom,
story leaves or
in cincinnati to attend a computer class at a junior high school.
eight days later her bound
partially decomposed body will be discovered in an abandoned building. What's
really interesting about this, one is.
What is discovered underneath the body of time,
story and its upper
He slid belong,
to virginia temple, so
You know all of these things where you've got you know, they've got.
of all kinds finger prints. Their pudding
some of these things together at obvious
The guy is not
under criminal law is not trying to at least in
my opinion on which you thing might, but it doesn't seem like
he's trying to really be.
at the
to leave any clues, sir. You know.
you know mentally, I mean he's just all over the place right, so you know he he he does the terrible crime with with virginia
all right and then you know,
It leaves out scene
somehow later that that day, they they ride. The dayton
they visited the reverend millard gay and his wife, Catherine,
and they you know this is our home town mike. You know it's gonna scary, but they stay with. Mr, mrs gay fur was it.
two days MIKE,
because I know they went to the the
the religious service, with a july nine.
And then the next day, that's when you know
Mr Gay dropped off common, amber
in downtown cincinnati, which put them in an area on July twelve,
You know eventually ran into town tonia tony or to the tawny or tony don't story now, I'm not sure
it spells strangely so far, but I'm glad you said that, because the
beginning, I say the reason why we picked. This is because it has ties to dayton ohio. Now they come back to dayton later and we'll talk about that, but
glad you brought it up, because I had left that out both religious it just control
meta here, they're, so violent file violent. Then they get to this reverence house
show any any any violent acts in our behaviour towards him or his wife and their staying with them for a couple days.
It just makes you wonder we'll why.
again you're in the mind of a killer. Why wasn't his buttons pushed at day so well, because it
point now they they could have met. Other people write that
we didn't read about, but they ve killed.
Basically everybody that they've come into contact with.
Absolutely enter they stay two days with with with these people,
You know how and they
harm at all and actually, like you said, actually go to service with them and then its
How many days later that day that they kill tawny? Three days later,
and then you know this the couple in dayton
come back into the story here towards in butter.
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men and brown were driven.
In cincinnati, so there
Cincinnati there in the town of. Nor would they in
the home of harry and marlene walter's under
premise that they want to purchase a camper that I guess the walter
Is we're trying to sell they
Kill morally and they
it harry with a wooden candlestick, but harry survive.
And he tells later testifies at trial and in the
is what he testifies to that.
Common and browning enquired about the camping trailer
upon inviting coleman and brown into the his home. Here.
on the couch discussing the trailer with them. Coleman picks up
when candlestick looks at it admires, it hits
harry on the back of the head, knocking him unconscious, so
Obviously, that's all Harry really knew at that point, but one
happened
few hours later, Sherry Walters.
Who eyes her, which is their daughter comes home from work and at the bar,
the basement steps she finds her,
other harry. You have clear
to live.
her mother's dead, both of them have
it shares around their throats and electrical cords tight around their feet,
her. Mothers hands were bound behind her back and her fathers hands were handcuffed behind his back her
There's head is covered with a bloody she'd, so she comes
from work, and this is why she finds they were
To kill him both they just didn't, kill Harry and it so
I hear that in just you.
You know why. Why did they cover her face? Was at Deborah
Could she couldn't handle seemed somebody because, for me
stanley
bludgeoned her head, like up to twenty five times with, with like a pair of locking pliers
You know, we know we know it had to be. Damn right can be harry cause he's
yeah. He's in his eyes is right, so button and then the other parliaments,
Yes, I find where's where it is that they say parts of
Gone brain or missing when I go
was that we could they they hit, or so many times at the party
violent crimes. Here they can find it. I really
no but
to me. That would be.
I guess I see what you're saying where.
Deborah, would cover her.
Because she feels bad, but then we go.
act to some of the earlier stories and she
feel bad enough to stop the.
Rape and murder of a seven year old girl and actually participated. So I don't know it could have been.
It would seem strange that
She would all of a sudden, you know, grow a conscience and be upset not upset, but feel bad about this one bad enough to feel like she had to cover this woman's
I don't know stranger away- was deafening.
brutal. I mean, besides a lock employers in the candlestick and soda bottle.
they broke over. There
magazine rack that they mention. That was sir bloodstained.
in the living room, so I mean
can you imagine cannot even imagine what went down
that day in that house that
this has been had a watch, sir. He by watch them
I heard the screens
couldn't doing about it in, for the an innocent woman to be london, like that
Bad wiser than yeah I mean you know he is kept on going in and think about stopping. It says it's a sickening but
Well, I've got a better
sound bite from the sense in a news. Reply
inside the home officials from the hamilton county coroners office began looking for what they call trace: avenant fingerprints, footprints things that might be missing from the home, anything that might connects us back, Dalton comin to the brutal murder of marlene waters and the
gunnar husband Harry here then
what police department detectives met with F b, I officials who came into Cincinnati just last night. It didn't take them long to determine that alton coleman might be the man they were looking for. As a matter of fact, he was their only suspect.
they do say is that common as a survivor, a man who uses people to get what he wants. He has a way of getting next to people. He can talk his way into into the home. He meets people on
street, and condemn discuss religion. He can discuss politics. He's very forward very well spoken, very calm,
and very deadly
believe what common wanted and needed was a getaway car. Perhaps it
and a coincidence when police arrived at the scene of the murdered yesterday, the victims,
was gone stolen at this time.
Please have no idea whether com and is still in the area or, if he's left, town
But a nationwide bullet and has been put out on the vehicle is believed to be driving. So
point the news saying they know it's common: they their basically said that the detector
There are saying that coalmines are only suspect.
These now the subject of a nation wide mannheim. So from here
common and brown go to kentucky and.
You know Cincinnati his rider cross the river from Kentucky so not not very far to go, but
a kidnap, a college, professor.
Those car locking.
in the trunk and they
I back to date, no high, oh,
Abandoned the vehicle, but they leave
this guy alive. They don't kill him which again
to show you how unstable mentally they are right because, prior to that, they they just to death.
You know a husband and wife, you know whether the wife and almost a husband for basically the same thing they didn't want it there,
the echo and the money and jewelry and in the end they fled
For whatever reason this guy, they just one is car, but they keep alive thurman. The drunken then decide you sleep in the trunk, for somebody to find him well
yeah, there's no rhyme reason wrapping it's it's a good question: why kill
Oh marlene. They didn't
Harry did they think they did. You call
think he had killed harry, or did he just didn't
air, whether he killed him or not, because obviously they don't kill this car michael guy, then it comes
to like what you said
Their only goal
both of those is to me.
Get a little money and get a car to get where they want to go.
So these are. These are very different from these.
Actual crimes that we talked about earlier with the young girls
so from here coleman and brown. I said they derive
to date, no high o day
counter who might who they encounter. Eta go back to the same river,
in others. They go back irreverent,
is gay back and dayton and he recognised that no, this is this is
Subject: cover used nationwide domain hot rex
We talked about in the very beginning
Was
number. One led story pollyanna
three stations to no doubt
gay who had
that common. What are we
go on a happy days. We are now I'm sure. As soon as he saw the news he knew tat. He had kept.
serial killer pair.
His home, so we
meet him again. He deafening knows, but again they they don't.
They don't, kill em, they don't even harlem
actually in the reverend actually says, took to the common he said.
Y Y, you wanna do do as like, like this
According to the reverend gay common response,
wanna kill you.
but we generally kill. Then we go so they they typically they temple. He kill where they go.
This time, the rock on kill you, you know he's telling him that coleman and brown at that point they took their car and they hit it back to evanston illinois. So they got. You know again still there
But it was this day that
common was added to the fbi's ten most wanted list, which is a big deal right stories today you make
and the fbi's ten most wanted list, you're bad you're, bad seat for sure.
So please you started. You said it they're dry. They drive evanston illinois,
in the stolen the reverend stolen car.
But on their way
for some reason, is not made clear. Why, in the reading that the research that I did, but
a detour tending indianapolis.
And they kill a seventy five year old by the name of eugene scott and they still
his car and dump the vehicle dump the reverence vehicle, then, and
Logically, that's probably the reason why
again there on every new station? They do
we would have been on in india.
As well.
illinois at all joining state
from dayton to indianapolis hundred hundred one hundred twenty miles,
yeah what two hours yeah two hours. Second, back of that day, yeah I mean, even without trying to grab the attention of police by speed,
if I took him to ours, so I guess at the dinner he felt that was his best time. The dump that car gsm-
sure he realized the reverend as soon as he left made. That call to the to the state police, so so that that makes sense why they did that.
It is another day worry. You know this dynamic kill us every year, so it
euro guy or a car. For that day,
the reverend in them and those wife allowed. So it just goes to show.
You know again how unstable he wasn't is, and why is that
serial killer, yeah yeah, no doubt so
I mean they do finally make it to two evanston. I guess this is where we get
the part where their rest
because they are arrested in and Evanston that the part that I thought was strange,
It was someone from coalmines, old neighborhood, in what keegan that spotted them down
to a gas station and notified the police. I
look to see, and I dont know where evanston
is in relation to what keegan don't how far apart
Yeah, I don't know either my, but it's it's right now. I think it's that form for the fact
somebody than his own neighborhood happened to be in
same town. That could recognize her.
a red light and out the whereabouts of pull over
Call the the police department in an alert them to this,
It wasn't strange to me that somebody recognized him because you know we talked about he's on the news, but I just thought uh. I did think it was
range at it with somebody from his old neighborhood when he didn't. He wasn't back in his own neighborhood. I guess is the part I thought was a little strange but, like I said, wit,
guy drives to a gas station, notifies the police. They put a you know, put out a a p b. That's my police lingo for you. They find them in a park
The approach common and the detectives.
See brown walking away they quest
in common he's got no identification. It actually said that he denied he was com and I think there do they knew who it was
and while this interviews taking place to other,
sir. Stop brown that she tried to. As she tried to get out of the park tat. They were in.
Then, when they searcher they find a gun in your purse. What I thought was,
So they're both taken into custody, they didn't put up a fight and they take him to the police department and they did identify both m by fingerprints.
Yeah. Obviously they know they. They haven't at this point, but the part that I thought was was I I guess I got a little chuckle
So they strip search coleman at the evans than police station. They find a stake knife in his socks,
which, when I read that I I chuckled a little bit because I thought.
seems like if they knew this guy was ought in common that day,
really, you know, made sure,
before they even got him in the car that he wasn't karen.
Weapons. But maybe not you know, I'm not a police officer, so I don't know that yet
I would have done that right. You know. I would at least take issue
I often take off his two pair of socks on each foot that he had all yeah yeah, that's what it said it was a the knife was in between the pair two pairs of socks that he was wearing. I mean it's a it's! It's the
it's July in illinois. You know it's hot. Why would someone have two pair of socks on that should have been like a red flag to me, but I'm not a cop, so yeah yeah me. Neither so they're rested they've got.
Six states basically involved in
I had to figure out how they're going to prosecute common and brown, because they committed crimes,
murder, rape, all different types of crimes within these six states,
she ruled out because they didn't have the death penalty.
Eventually they decide on oh hi o, because ohio does have the death penalty that that was there. Their best shot was to try them in a higher and from here it's it's pretty routine. There there tried or convicted.
but they're only convicted of the rape and murder of tommy.
Story in Cincinnati
and marlene walter's, and nor would but they're not convicted and
I'm not sure, maybe red- maybe you know, but they were not convey.
Did for the murder of virginia temple and Michel temple, those two that were
found in their cross base.
Home they live,
in toledo, which is obviously in ohio.
I didn't know MIKE. If you read anything about why that was not part of the year and die
and you know- and I- and I did mike- and I can only you know- speculate that they didn't have
the solid evidence that they needed to tie them to that, and they
You didn't want to cloud the case
with that, when they had a solid case with you, know the cincinnati, murder and also the norwood murder yeah, that that does make sense. I mean it,
Ultimately, it was a good strategy because they were both common. A brown were sentenced to death. That would have been what eighty five said that the appeal
as the process begins, which, as we know, can take.
very long time- coalmines, kay
ultimately goes to the: u s supreme court
more than once between. Eighty five in two thousand to you, I think his argument was that the death sentence was unconstitutional, but then I think that fell on deaf ears,
You know it's interesting, did you? Did you get to see what he ever his last meal? I did
I did. I saw that actually sounded pretty good.
filet mignon with mushroom.
Gravy biscuits and gravy fried chicken french for
as broccoli with cheese at strike that car
A green said strike that not into that
onion rings, corn, bread
a salad, sweet, potato pie, butterby can ice cream and cherry cola amanda.
and take out, take out the broccoli with chile in the colleague greens and I'm in calabria
guy, they convicted em in ohio. They both of em
in a brown: they both got the death penalty coleman, actually common was had to death penalty. Syn
is in ohio, which the strange at on the heightened kelson by more than once, but I guess in case one gets
thrown out. Maybe you think that that's why so?
Yeah what to do now and get a couple others in the neighbouring.
Yeah illinois indiana,
Brown had hers in ohio and then also won in indiana
in ninety one, though brown's death sentences commuted to life in prison by the governor
of a ohio just before he leaves office
and even though she did receive that other death penalty sense in Indiana she's,
currently serving your print prison sentence?
Oh Ohio
and Indiana has not done anything about pursuing her execution.
So I dont know I
I assume they have the ability, possibly if they
the two, the trader
bring her to indiana and put her on death row they wanted to. I would think, there's
nobody there, but I guess that that this this point
the attorney general over there just is not
interesting at this point. Maybe he feels comfortable the fact that she's got life in prison with no past
would ever social die in prison
I want one thing that was telling that that I read about brown is: is it said that she continued
to show a complete lack of remorse for her crimes, you're going back
Your theory- I'm not sure she put that
she'd over marlins phase out of anything,
other than may be. The fact that she didn't want to see that
you know again go back to the very beginning and mental capacity of weapons
over twenty one year old you no more like a twelve year old self, sometimes
twelve year olds. You know they don't know. When I
They don't know, but that they will understand what they ve done wrong. Well,
it would be nice. It would be nice to know what her I q was and what that coralie
two and in years like yours,
and twice at twelve. Is it is it fourteen? Is it there? It would
nice to know that I too, I never saw a red what that was, but it be interesting. So
I do want to play one final: clip about all coalmines, exe
in the execution is continuing to be very calm and very compliance
cooperating in every way that creating problems whatsoever over the death house common sprint.
hours visiting with spiritual advisers and his attorneys until the eight forty five cut off time, at which time he will be offered a shower
and then we will prepare him for the execution process. The execution process began just before ten, a doctor gave communist shot to sedate him a second shot us.
though, his heart rate, he was the interest,
from a holding cell, seventeen steps to the death chamber,
coleman came in wearing a nondenominational were told a prayer shawl when he walked in. He seemed quite confident it happened quite fast and he seemed to kind of adjust his jaw and then was did not need any kind of escorting onto the gurney coleman made a last statement, but he didn't use his own words. Instead, he quoted the twenty third psalms. He repeated. The lord is my shepherd. I shall not want and continued with that, and then it seemed like his chest. Heaved. He took a couple of quick breaths
maybe probably about eight or nine and then that's kind of when he just stopped. It was no big. Last breath the execution process for inmate, often common has been completed the official time of death.
Ten, thirteen so gibi, that's it.
story of alton comin in denver brown
was a retired fbi agent named John douglas and he was fbi profile it he. He threw an interesting fact after that,
said that no part of these crimes.
We're slightly racially
the any
evidence that call man in america
Vicious sexual saw even gone to practically going
current tirade about how blacks were forcing
to rape and murder, other blacks and income,
in brown had also left a racist slogan with lipstick
the scene of the rape and murder of tawny story,
that was the only non african american victim, so
is an interesting fact. No back back at that
I from were alton, grew up
now, as you mentioned, how he selected his victims back back even back then so I just wanted to add that now
but you did and- and I want to take this opportunity to thank you- might for common on being a guest house far.
first episode. It was a pleasure. I really appreciate it. I enjoy it MIKE.
Listen, I I'd like to thank everyone for downloading and listening to the podcast, your support.
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The.
Transcript generated on 2023-04-09.