Early Lives: From Troubled Beginnings to Partnership
Alton Coleman entered the world on November 6, 1950, in Waukegan, Illinois. Born to a mother involved in sex work, he grew up surrounded by neglect and crime. By 18, he faced six arrests for sexual assaults including against his 8-year-old niece but slick-talking his way out of convictions.
Debra Brown, born November 11, 1962, in the same city, came from a stable family but suffered a traumatic brain injury as a child. Diagnosed with a dependent personality, she became infatuated with Coleman after meeting him in 1983. Despite engaging with another man, she abandoned her life to join Coleman, morphing into a willing accomplice.
The 1984 Crime Spree: A Trail of Terror Across Six States
Their reign of terror began on May 29, 1984, when Coleman lured 9-year-old Vernita Wheat from a Wisconsin carnival. Posing as “Robert Knight,” he promised her mother a gift but instead kidnapped Vernita. Three weeks later, authorities found her decomposing body in an abandoned Illinois building, bound with TV cables.
Meanwhile, in Gary, Indiana, the duo targeted 7-year-old Tamika Turks and her cousin Annie Hillard. After luring the girls with promises of toys, Coleman and Brown sexually assaulted them. Tragically, Tamika died from strangulation, while Annie survived by crawling to a road.
Escalating Violence: Robberies, Abductions, and More Murders
As the spree continued, the pair crisscrossed six states, leaving bodies in their wake:
- June 28, 1984: They invaded a Dearborn Heights home, beating Palmer (62) and Marge Jones (59) before stealing their car.
- July 6, 1984: In Toledo, Ohio, they murdered Virginia Temple and her 10-year-old daughter Rochelle, hiding their bodies in a basement crawl space.
- July 12, 1984: 15-year-old Tonnie Storey vanished in Cincinnati; her strangled body was found days later.
By mid-July, Coleman earned the FBI’s rare “11th spot” on their Most Wanted List.
The Hunt Intensifies: Survivors, Evidence, and a Dragnet
Key breaks in the case came from survivors:
- Harry Walters, brutally beaten with a crowbar, identified the duo before his wife Marlene succumbed to her injuries.
- Oline Carmichael, abducted in Kentucky, survived days trapped in a trunk and provided critical details.
Authorities set up a multi-state dragnet, tracking stolen cars and witness sightings. Finally, on July 20, 1984, a motorist recognized Coleman in Evanston, Illinois. Police arrested the pair without resistance, finding disguises, a loaded gun, and a bloodied knife in their possession.
Read more: Christine Falling: The Babysitter Killer
Trials and Sentences: Justice for the Victims
Coleman represented himself in court, even blaming Brown for Marlene Walters’ murder. Despite his theatrics, overwhelming evidence including fingerprints and survivor testimonies sealed his fate:
- Coleman received multiple death sentences and died by lethal injection in 2002.
- Brown, sentenced to 140 years without parole, remains incarcerated and has expressed remorse.
Legacy: A Chilling Chapter in True Crime History
Coleman and Brown’s seven-week spree exposed gaps in interstate law enforcement coordination. Their randomness targeting victims for cars, money, or thrill echoed the unpredictability of Richard Ramirez, the Night Stalker.
Today, their story serves as a grim reminder of how manipulation and violence can spiral unchecked and why vigilant communities matter.
