Double murder suspect will have extradition hearing in Ky.

Double murder suspect will have extradition hearing in Ky.

February 2, 2007

MARION COUNTY, Ky. (WATE) -- The only woman charged in the double murder of a young Knoxville couple wants a hearing on whether she'll be extradited to Knoxville.

Vanessa Lynn Coleman, 18, was in court in Marion County, Kentucky Friday morning. She has hired a private attorney and requested a hearing on extradition.

That hearing is scheduled for February 5. Her bond is set at $1 million.

Coleman was arrested Wednesday night in Lebanon, Kentucky on a warrant as a fugitive from justice in another state. She's being held in the Marion County, Kentucky Detention Facility.

She was indicted in Knox County Thursday night for the kidnapping, rape and murder of Channon Christian and Christopher Newsom.

Coleman faces 40 counts including 12 counts of felony murder, one count of premeditated murder, one count of especially aggravated robbery, four counts of especially aggravated kidnapping, 20 counts of aggravated rape and two counts of theft.

Coleman is one of three suspects arrested in this case in Lebanon, Kentucky. Letalvis Cobbins and George Thomas were also arrested there.

She is from Springfield, Kentucky, just outside of Lebanon. Court records indicate Coleman worked at a fast food restaurant in Lebanon. She's also the girlfriend of Letalvis Cobbins.

Coleman was identified but not charged in an affidavit and search warrant released to the public on January 25 as part of federal charges. 6 News did not reveal her identity at that time because she was not charged. (In the affidavit attached to this report, her name is covered.)

The murdered couple was last seen on a date on the night of January 6. They were carjacked by sometime early the next morning.

Christopher Newsom's body was found the next day. It was bound, shot and burned, along the railroad tracks near 9th Ave.

Investigators say Newsom's body smelled of gasoline.

Channon Christian's body was found three days after the couple disappeared. Investigators say it was in a large plastic garbage can in Davidson's house on Chipman Street. Her body was in five separate dark trash bags.

There was evidence that Christian had been bound, physically assaulted and raped. Also, the Knox County medical examiner found apparent carpet fibers in her hair.

Vanessa Coleman told investigators she was at the Chipman Street house while Christian was being held there. She said she witnessed Christian's mouth being cleaned with a bottle of some type of cleaner.

Coleman also told investigators she saw clothes that were stained with blood and smelled of gas being put in the washing machine at the house.

A judge signed the warrant directing investigators to search the Chipman Street house for carpeting, an empty trash bag box, a washer and dryer and cleaning supplies used during the murders of Newsom and Christian.