Woman, two sons found slain near St. Louis

COLUMBIA, Ill., May 5 (UPI) -- A 37-year-old woman and her sons, thought to be 7 and 11 years old, were found slain in their home near St. Louis Tuesday, neighbors said.

Police in Columbia, Ill., a St. Louis suburb, cordoned off a two-story house in a newer subdivision but declined to discuss the case. Neighbors told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch the three victims appeared to be have been strangled.

They also said the woman's husband, who reportedly works as a security chief for Christian television evangelist Joyce Meyer, arrived home from work, became distraught in the driveway and had to be restrained by police, the newspaper reported.

Police were seen sifting through garbage cans up and down the street from the house, reportedly confiscating a pair of surgical pants from one of them.

The neighbors told the Post-Dispatch the man, whom they identified as Chris Coleman, had been receiving threatening letters targeting his family and relating to his job.

The newspaper said Meyer arrived in the neighborhood to console the neighbors, telling them that Coleman "needs a lot of prayer. He needs to be uplifted."