The only woman convicted in the torture-slayings of a young Knox County couple in January 2007 will be up for parole in December, and her victim's father is asking for help to keep her behind bars.
Vanessa Coleman, 32, was convicted of facilitation of first-degree murder in the deaths of Channon Christian and Chris Newsom. She's serving a 35-year prison sentence that officially ends in 2036, according to state records.
Coleman will be up again for parole on Dec. 8, according to state records. The Board of Parole previously has denied granting her parole.
An online petition to deny Coleman parole started circulating earlier this year. It already has more than 19,000 signatures.
Now, the father of Channon Christian is encouraging others to reach out to the Board of Parole directly to ask them to deny Coleman's parole.
On his Facebook page, Gary Christian wrote "Many of you wanted to send your thoughts to the Parole Board and I promised I would put the best way you could contact them and when the right time to contact them.
"Well now would be the time, her Parole hearing is set for December the 8th. The E-mail address is victim.witness@tn.gov
"If you choose to e-mail them your thoughts on her Parole be sure on the Subject line put Venessa Coleman, TOMIS # 00473393 that way the e-mail will go to the Parole Board."
Coleman was part of a trio that traveled from Kentucky and was staying in a house on Chipman Street in Knoxville rented by LeMaricus Davidson in January 2007.
Davidson, his brother Letalvis Cobbins, and Eric Boyd carjacked Channon Christian, 21, and Chris Newsom, 23, the night of Jan. 6, 2007, and forced them to go to the Chipman Street home.
That night, Newsom was raped and murdered and his body set on fire by railroad tracks. Christian endured torture and rape from Davidson and Cobbins in the tiny house.
They poured bleach down her throat. Her body was stuffed into a trash can in the kitchen and she was left to suffocate to death. Knoxville police found her body later, after the suspects had fled the house.
While there's been no evidence Coleman took part in the killings, she was present and aided and abetted, prosecutors say.
Davidson, Cobbins, Boyd and Coleman's friend George Thomas were convicted in the murders. Davidson was the ringleader and faces execution some day. Cobbins got a sentence of life without parole, and Boyd is serving two consecutive life sentences. Thomas, 37, has a chance at freedom when he reaches his mid to late 60s.
The change.org petition had more than 1,000 signers by 6 p.m. Friday.
Coleman was part of a trio that traveled from Kentucky and was staying in a house on Chipman Street in Knoxville rented by LeMaricus Davidson in January 2007.
Davidson, his brother Letalvis Cobbins, and Eric Boyd carjacked Channon Christian, 21, and Chris Newsom, 23, the night of Jan. 6, 2007, and forced them to go to the Chipman Street home.
That night, Newsom was raped and murdered and his body set on fire by railroad tracks. Christian endured torture and rape from Davidson and Cobbins in the tiny house.
They poured bleach down her throat. Her body was stuffed into a trash can in the kitchen and she was left to suffocate to death. Knoxville police found her body later, after the suspects had fled the house.
While there's been no evidence Coleman took part in the killings, she was present and aided and abetted, prosecutors say.
Davidson, Cobbins, Boyd and Coleman's friend George Thomas were convicted in the murders. Davidson was the ringleader and faces execution some day. Cobbins got a sentence of life without parole, and Boyd is serving two consecutive life sentences. Thomas, 37, has a chance at freedom when he reaches his mid to late 60s.
Coleman was convicted of facilitation of first-degree murder. She's serving a 35-year sentence that officially ends in 2036, according to state records.