Murdered: Nicole Coleman

Around 5:30pm on Monday, December 31st of 2018, a body was discovered in east Austin. The body, naked and obviously brutalized, was discovered by a man and his friend in a wooded area by a gas station off Ed Bluestein Road. At first, they hesitated to call it in, as both men were homeless at the time, English wasn't their first language, and they didn't want any trouble from police. Eventually, they decided that the police need to be called and the body was recovered. It was identified on January 3rd, 2019, as Nicole Coleman.

Nicole Coleman was born on March 3rd, 1995. She was the middle child, and was described by her family as athletic, and had a great sense of humor. She was very close with both her sisters, and was described as "deeply spiritual". Starting in her mid-teens, Coleman struggled with her mental health. She was in and out of hospitals, and often self-medicated. Fighting through her difficulties, she completed her Associates of Arts Degree at Lone Star College in Houston with a perfect 4.0 GPA. Coleman had hopes of being a therapist or other mental health professional and helping others with their mental health journeys.

At the time of her death, Coleman was living in north Austin at a "safe home" with a group of women. She had checked herself into a mental health facility that fall, and had then transferred to the safe home two weeks before her murder.

The last place Coleman was seen was a convenience store off of Manor Road and Northeast Drive. She was seen at around 6pm on Friday, December 28th, 2018, on surveillance video walking across the parking lot and entering the store. She was wearing a pink striped sweater, shorts and slides.

Not much is known to the public on the manner of Coleman's death. The Austin Police Department hasn't reported a cause of death, and there are no suspects known to the public. The APD only reported that Coleman "had trauma on her body when she was found", and that they recovered "items of evidence." They declined to answer if she was sexually assaulted. If you, or anyone you know, have information about the murder of Nicole Coleman, call (512) 472-TIPS (8477) or (512) 477- 3588 or text "tip 103" along with your information to CRIMES.

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