Police posted a notice Tuesday saying, “Suspect is in custody.”
Park Forest, IL—(ENEWSPF)—Park Forest Police issued a warrant calling for the arrest of Coleman Franklin. This is in connection with the double homicide last Thursday of two women. The warrant alleges two counts of first-degree murder.
Police issued a statement Monday saying “a thorough investigation by the Park Forest Police Department and South Suburban Major Crimes Task Force” led them to announce the warrant for Mr. Franklin on two counts of first-degree murder.
Lillian Brown and Sabrina McCain were found shot on Thursday, December 26, 2024. Police stressed Mr. Franklin is not in custody and is currently being sought by law enforcement.
Double Homicide Not Random: Police
“This was not a random crime,” police said. “The victims and offender were known to each other. The investigation is ongoing, and assistance from residents of Park Forest and surrounding areas has been invaluable and continues to be crucial.”
Police urge anyone with information to contact the Investigations Division of the Park Forest Police Department at 708-748-1309.
“The Park Forest Police Department and the Village of Park Forest extend their deepest condolences to the family and friends of Lillian Brown and Sabrina McCain as we work to seek justice for them,” police said.
About Police Reports
Please note that we repeatedly say “according to police” in these reports and often use “allegedly.” We are not asserting in any way that those police arrested and charged committed any offenses. We report on what is in the reports that the police furnish to us. As those accused are innocent until proven guilty, the burden is on prosecutors and police to prove all alleged crimes.
eNews Park Forest has continuously published the addresses of those arrested and will continue to do so. 5 ILCS 140/2.15 states that the governmental body (for these reports, the Police Department), shall release information on those charged, including their name, age, and address. This information is necessary to ensure the proper identity of those arrested.
Presumption of Innocence
An arrest does not mean that a person is guilty. The law presumes all those whom police arrest are innocent until proven guilty. It is the policy of eNews Park Forest not to remove items from the public record from publication. Suppose you find your name in the police reports. Our policy is that we will only add information relevant to the final disposition of the case at hand, e.g., “Mr. Smith was subsequently acquitted,” “Mr. Smith entered a guilty plea,” or “All charges against Mr. Smith were subsequently dropped.” We will do so upon receiving and verifying proof of such disposition.
We do not strike, “unpublish,” or delete news.
According to police, officers captured all the incidents in this report on body-worn and dash-mounted cameras at the respective scenes. All Park Forest police officers wear body-worn cameras. Officials typically abbreviate these devices as BWC in the reports.
We encourage persons wishing to leave anonymous information on any criminal matters, including narcotics or gang activity, to call the Park Forest Police Department Investigations Division at (708) 748-1309.
