'Mama Is Dead On The Ground': Slain Woman's Son, 9, Called 911

PARK FOREST, IL — A man facing first-degree murder charges in the deaths of two Park Forest women last month was dating the eldest victim and had been living with both victims prior to the Dec. 26 shootings, prosecutors said.

Coleman Franklin, 50, was living with Lillian Brown, 51, and her daughter Sabrina McCain, 30, as well as McCain's two children, ages 9 and 2 years, in the house in the 300 block of Miami Street. Franklin had reportedly complained to his aunt the day before the shooting that McCain had wanted him to start paying rent, though she was not requiring that of her mother, the Cook County State's Attorney's Office detailed in court documents.

Police were called to the home just after 6 p.m. on Dec. 26, for a report of a gunshot victim inside. McCain's 9-year-old son, who was home and playing video games at the time, called 911, telling dispatch his "mama is dead on the ground, she got shot," according to court documents.

A 911 operator also recounted the caller saying, "the only one I saw with a weapon was Cole, I didn’t see nobody else," and later in the same call he can be heard stating "you reloaded it!" court documents note.

Police found the 9-year-old and his 2-year-old sister unharmed at the scene. The boy is alleged to have seen Franklin standing over McCain after shooting her in the head, prosecutors said, and told police that Franklin was his "play grandad."

Brown was pronounced dead at the scene and McCain was pronounced death at St. James Hospital in Olympia Fields.

Cell phone data reportedly showed Franklin's location in the area of the residence, prosecutors said, and video surveillance shows a man matching Franklin's description fleeing the scene through a back door. A warrant for his arrest was issued on Dec. 30; he was taken into custody the next day.

According to prosecutors, Franklin had called his aunt the morning of Dec. 31 from the Harvey Metra station, and denied involvement in the killings. He alleged Brown was still married and that her husband had shot and killed the woman, also alleging that McCain's son would likely lie to police and claim Franklin had been the shooter, court documents state.

Franklin's aunt urged him to turn himself in, then drove to the station while on the phone with him. Police apprehended him a short time later, according to court documents.

Police later interviewed the man Franklin claimed was responsible, who told police he had not spoken with Brown in six months and had been home at the time of the murders.

A friend also interviewed by police told officers that two weeks prior, Franklin had threatened Brown with a gun, prosecutors outlined.

Cook County Judge Luciano Panici on Jan. 2 ordered Franklin to remain in custody until his next court date, set for Jan. 24 in Markham.