The police investigation into last Thursday's shooting of Stanley Coleman is tonight a murder investigation.
Early this morning Coleman succumbed from injuries received when he was shot to his neck Thursday afternoon on Welch Street. Today as his family grieves, they openly admit the 28 year old was no saint. They told 7NEWS he was a career criminal who was first arrested as a young teen and has spent time in the Listowell Boys School, the Youth Hostel, and the Hattieville Prison. He has previously been convicted of manslaughter and spent 10 years in jail for it. That storied rap sheet also includes a charge for raping a nun. Coleman was released from prison in late November on a charging of robbing and nearly killing an elderly man. Sure enough he was a legitimate "bad-man" but after his most recent release from jail, Coleman's family says he was starting a new life with a new love. And according to his close cousin Myrna Lopez that is when he started running into problems. Those problems eventually lead to a violent confrontation two weeks ago and the family believes that was the motive for his murder, which was a contract hit.
Myrna Lopez, Stanley's Cousin
"I think it was like a payback of a misunderstanding he had with a fellow about two weeks ago."
Keith Swift,
You and him were very close?
Myrna Lopez,
"Yes we were and for me knowing Stanley, he is not a person to complain. If somebody would do him something he would react and retaliate right away. But with this incident with this young man, he went and complained to the police and he came and complained to me which he would never ever do, as far as we know him. So to me that was really a problem for him and I think that now this is the payback that he got with this individual."
Keith Swift,
So he told the police that this person was bothering him, did the police do anything?
Myrna Lopez,
"Well I am not sure if they did but he did make a report to the police."
Keith Swift,
And you were telling me when he got no satisfaction he did something about it?
Myrna Lopez,
"Well he did. About a week after he did the report, the same individual went back and tantalized him and unfortunately he had to inflict a wound to him and he was charged. Stanley was charged for that incident and he got bail and like a week after he got bail he was out and then he got shot."
Keith Swift,
Before he died, he was conscious in the hospital. Did you have a chance to talk to him?
Myrna Lopez,
"Yes he spoke to us but not too much because the nurse didn't want us to bother him a lot and let him speak too many but he did told us what had happened and who did shot him."
Keith Swift,
So he identified his killer?
Myrna Lopez,
"Yes he did."
Police tonight have a suspect detained. 7NEWS has confirmed that last week police originally detained the said ex-boyfriend of Coleman's girlfriend but police released him due to a lack of evidence. Coleman's body awaits a post mortem scheduled for Wednesday afternoon. Coleman is originally from Punta Gorda and leaves behind a 5 year old son, Stanley Jr.
