Local
Woman Sentenced In Murder For Hire Of Her Husband
By Mike Thomas
Aug 31, 2010 - 2:40:16 PM

A St. Louis County woman has been sentenced to 20 years in prison after admitting to hiring men to kill her husband, whose body was later burned and dumped in a Franklin County field.

According to a report from US Attorney Richard Callahan, Karen Coleman was sentenced for her part in the murder for hire of her husband, Danny Coleman.   On October 22, 1992, Danny Coleman left work and was later murdered by James Kornhardt and Steven Mueller. Coleman's body and truck were moved to an isolated field in Franklin County and set fire.

Prosecutors say in 1990 Karen Coleman recruited a prison inmate, Larry Nolan, to arrange for the murder of her husband. Nolan then recruited Kornhardt, a Mehlville firefighter, to commit the murder and Kornhardt later got Steven Mueller to help him. Following her husband's death, Karen Coleman began collecting on insurance policies. A portion of that insurance money went to pay off Kornhardt and Mueller for their services.

Karen Coleman pleaded guilty to commit murder for hire and murder for fire on June 3, 2010. Kornhardt and Mueller were convicted of conspiracy to those same charges on June 14, 2010. In addition, Kornhardt was also found guilty of obstruction of justice for destroying the weapon and ammunition connected to the murder. Kornhardt and Mueller each face a minimum life sentence. They are scheduled to be sentenced on September 23.