Jury Convicts Two Men on Murder-for-Hire Charges

ST. LOUIS—The United States Attorney’s Office announced today that, after a six-day trial, James K. Kornhardt and Steven A. Mueller were convicted of conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire and murder-for-hire in connection with the October 22, 1992 murder of Danny Harold Coleman. Danny Coleman’s wife, Karen Coleman, pleaded guilty on June 3 to the same charges. James K. Kornhardt was also found guilty by the jury of obstructions of justice stemming from actions taken by him to destroy a firearm, silencer, and ammunition directly related to the October 22, 1992 murder.

According to evidence presented at trial, Karen Coleman recruited a prison inmate, Larry Nolan, beginning in 1990 to arrange the murder of her husband Danny H. Coleman. Nolan recruited James Kornhardt, a firefighter with the Mehlville Fire Protection District, to commit the murder. Kornhardt recruited Mueller to assist in the murder. On October 22, 1992, Danny Coleman left work at approximately 4:00 p.m, and was later murdered by Kornhardt and Mueller in the City of Saint Louis. Danny Coleman’s body and truck were removed from the murder scene and later found burnt in an isolated field located in Franklin County, MO. Following Danny Harold Coleman’s death, Karen Coleman began collecting on certain insurance policies. Kornhardt and Mueller were ultimately paid for their respective roles in the murder from portions of those insurance proceeds.

Each defendant faces a mandatory minimum sentence of life in prison. Sentencing for defendants James K. Kornhardt and Steven A. Mueller has been set for September 16, 2010. Karen K. Coleman will be sentenced on August 31, 2010.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Franklin County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Franklin County Sheriff’s Department, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, and the St. Louis County Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Thomas Dittmeier and Thomas Rea prosecuted the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.