On Monday October 10, 2016 at approximately 4:15 pm, the Cochise County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a shooting which had just occurred in the 6000 block of East Apache Street in Sunizona. The caller reported that his neighbor, Jesse Lee Steel, age 48, had come to his front door and rang the bell.
The caller said that he and his wife were going to give Mr. Steel some kittens and believed that he was there to pick them up.
The caller, 59 year old Sam Coleman, said that he was in the bedroom when his wife, 58 year old Elizabeth Coleman answered the door. Mr. Coleman advised that he heard gunshots and then saw Mr. Steel come into the bedroom before firing several shots at him. Coleman and Steel began to struggle before Steel left the bedroom and went outside getting into his vehicle.
Coleman said that he had a weapon and went to the front door and fired two shots at Steel before Steel drove away from the area. Coleman said that he saw his wife lying on the floor and called for help.
Upon Deputies arrival, they discovered Sam Coleman had received several gunshot wounds to his upper body area and his wife, Elizabeth Coleman was deceased.
Deputies and US Border Patrol Agents searched the area and through leads developed were able to locate Steel at a residence on Turkey Creek Road and take him into custody without further incident.
Jesse Steel was booked into the Cochise County Jail on charges of Burglary, Entering a residence with the intent to assault, Aggravated Assault x2, Attempted Murder, and Murder.
Sam Coleman was transported to a Tucson hospital where he underwent surgery and remains in stable condition.
The investigation is being continued by the Cochise County Sheriff’s Office.