Amber Lynn Ableman Charged With Kidnapping Andre ‘Dre’ Coleman in Bremerton, Washington

On March 17, 2021, a confidential supply contacted a detective within the Bremerton, Washington Police Division with a tip. The supply mentioned that they had been on a “compound” with a number of different folks a month or two earlier, and that three of the folks had “solicited the supply to lure a male who they supposed to seize, kill, and eliminate the physique,” according to court filings.

The supply instructed investigators that the goal of the plot was a “tall, skinny Black male in his twenties who might go by ‘Dre.’” Apparently, a drug deal had gone unhealthy in some unspecified time in the future earlier, and somebody wanted to be taught a lesson. The supply mentioned the group deliberate to bury the physique on the compound, the place the supply claimed to have seen firearms and narcotics. The supply declined to take part within the mission, and police didn’t suppose that they had sufficient info to take additional motion.

Now, Amber Lynn Ableman, 30, is dealing with first-degree kidnapping fees associated to the disappearance of Andre “Dre” Coleman. Coleman, who went lacking in March and whose physique has not been discovered, is presumed useless by authorities cited by the Kitsap Sun, which first reported on the case. His alleged killer? Ableman’s fiancé, Steven Earl Kerr, an enforcer for an area motorbike gang who was himself shot useless a month after Coleman—a former native highschool basketball hero who had fallen on robust instances—vanished. And whereas Ableman’s arrest is a uncommon bit of fine information for Coleman’s household, numerous questions on his last days stay.

“I simply need my son to be house for us to correctly say goodbye,” Coleman’s mom, Leslie Taganas, instructed The Each day Beast, including that she had by no means heard Amber Ableman’s title earlier than Ableman was fingered in Coleman’s homicide.

Ableman, who pleaded not responsible, has not but been assigned a public defender and was unable to be reached.

About 5 weeks after the unnamed supply obtained in contact with Bremerton detectives with the tip about “Dre,” an area girl known as cops to report a lacking particular person. The caller recognized herself as Marissa Hurde, and mentioned she hadn’t heard from her ex-boyfriend and father of her little one in practically six weeks. His title was Andre Coleman, and he was 28 years previous.

Hurde, who was unable to be reached for remark, instructed police that Coleman had a drug drawback and that he was “usually homeless.” Nonetheless, she mentioned, he contacted her each day, whatever the circumstances. However Hurde hadn’t heard from Coleman since March 1, and she or he was getting anxious.

Hurde guessed Coleman’s Fb password, and obtained into his account, states a police affidavit attached to a charging document in Ableman’s case. There, she “discovered messages from quite a few people who have been upset with Coleman and a few had made threats.” All of them had “involvements in our database associated to legal exercise and drug offenses.”

“My son was battling habit actually unhealthy,” Taganas instructed The Each day Beast. “When he was excessive, he was very imply and wasn’t allowed round my half of the household. However his sober instances—when he was sober, he was humorous, he may gentle up a darkish room. He may rap, he was a terrific basketball participant, he simply obtained caught up in medication. We put him in a number of therapy facilities. They didn’t work. However he was a terrific child. He was my child boy.”

Detectives dominated out as suspects nearly everybody in these chats, apart from one.

“Of observe is [sic] conversations Coleman had with Amber Ableman through Fb on the day he disappeared,” says the affidavit charging Ableman with first-degree kidnapping, a felony. “It’s notable as a result of Ableman was the final particular person Coleman messaged on Fb, and Ableman was to satisfy up with Coleman on the day he disappeared.”

The affidavit is signed by Det. Brock Gorang of the Bremerton PD. Reached by telephone, Gorang declined to remark, citing departmental coverage.

Detectives obtained a search warrant to dig in additional to Coleman’s Fb exercise, which revealed Ableman had first contacted Coleman on Feb. 21, asking him if he may get her medication, the affidavit states. It was apparent that the 2 have been speaking for the primary time, and Ableman mentioned a mutual buddy had instructed her to message Coleman. Nonetheless, when he messaged the mutual buddy to verify this, the buddy mentioned it wasn’t true.

Within the early morning hours of March 1, Coleman initiated a brand new dialog with Ableman over Fb. They organized to satisfy at a close-by grocery retailer, then head to the Flagship Motel, in line with the affidavit. Ableman mentioned she needed to await her boyfriend to fall asleep earlier than she may sneak away. Coleman despatched Ableman an image of a bag containing what gave the impression to be methamphetamine, and instructed her that he “could be bare when he reveals up and Ableman would in all probability go away her boyfriend after being with him.”

“You sound fairly certain of your self there bud,” Ableman reportedly replied. “However I can’t discover out if idk the place to go lmao.”

At round 12:30 a.m., Ableman messaged Coleman to say she’d choose him up shortly, and that she could be driving a white Ford Expedition. Coleman left the home and by no means got here again.

“It seems Amber Ableman contacted Coleman with the aim of delivering him to Steven Kerr, who supposed to kill Coleman,” the affidavit states.

“Steve,” on this occasion, was Steven Earl Kerr, who’s described in courtroom data as an “enforcer” for the Free Souls, a West Coast outlaw biker membership, and Ableman’s husband-to-be. On Apr. 14, Hurde contacted Ableman on Fb, in line with the affidavit.

“We aren’t collectively anymore I’m his child’s mother however his household is anxious sick hes been lacking for some time now…nobody has heard from him,” Hurde reportedly wrote. “Didn’t you meet up with him? Any information you’ll be able to present would severely assist. Look theres a lacking individuals report and also you have been one of many final folks to satisfy him. Please reply.”

Ableman wrote again: “Look I apologize I haven’t been on right here a lot. My husband simply obtained murdered so its onerous to get up on daily basis not to mention get on social media. I’m not hiding and im sorry youre anxious however can I get again to you later? … I’m not attempting to be insensitive however the very last thing I would like is extra cops up my ass.”

“I get it I’m actually so sorry about Steve,” Hurde replied. “I hope you’ll be able to perceive my worries right here.”

Kerr, 39, had been shot and killed on Apr. 5 as he modified a tire on his truck, in line with courtroom filings. The suspect fled the scene on a white Harley-Davidson, carrying a black motorbike jacket with a Free Souls patch on the again. When a police officer tried to tug the rider over, who was not carrying a helmet and driving erratically, the bike sped away. However not earlier than the officer—who was not but conscious that the biker had allegedly been concerned in a taking pictures—was in a position to run its license plate, which confirmed the Harley was registered to an Andrew Luke Wright of Vashon Island, Washington.

Two days later, Wright, 51, turned himself in to police. He was charged with second-degree homicide in Kerr’s demise, and first-degree assault for taking pictures at a witness who escaped damage, according to court filings. Wright pleaded not responsible. His bail was set at $1.5 million; he’s due again in courtroom Aug. 31. Witnesses instructed cops they didn’t know what led to the gunplay. Wright’s lawyer, Adrian Pimentel, didn’t reply to The Each day Beast’s request for remark.

It’s unclear if Kerr’s killing was linked in any solution to Coleman’s, and police haven’t revealed a motive. However as each investigations progressed, investigators found that the white Ford Expedition Ableman drove to select up Coleman was owned by an ex-girlfriend of Kerr’s. Kerr’s household instructed police that Kerr and his ex have been nonetheless on good phrases, and that the girl continuously let Ableman borrow her Expedition.

Kerr additionally had an ex-wife, Amanda, who broke the case open for investigators. Throughout an interview with detectives, she mentioned that Kerr on Mar. 13 had “confessed to her that he (Steven) murdered somebody,” says the charging doc in Ableman’s case. “Steven said that he beat the male to demise at his (Steven’s) property in Tahuya.” In a separate interview, Kerr’s ex-girlfriend instructed investigators that Kerr had confessed the homicide to her, as nicely. When she requested what occurred to the physique, Kerr reportedly responded, “Ashes to ashes, mud to mud.”

Nonetheless, investigators have been having a tricky time monitoring down Ableman, who a member of the family mentioned was avoiding police. Within the meantime, authorities obtained search warrants for each Kerr’s and Ableman’s cellphones. A subsequent evaluation confirmed that the 2 had been in “fixed communication with one another earlier than and through the time-frame Ableman was to satisfy with Coleman,” and have been “in proximity to one another whereas Ableman was assembly with Andre Coleman,” states the affidavit. After they searched Ableman’s Fb account, investigators found messages between Ableman and her father, who inspired her to talk with police about what she knew. Ableman refused.

Whereas executing a search warrant in June, police got here near arresting a lady they believed was Ableman. Nonetheless, she ran away earlier than officers may seize her, in line with the affidavit.

On July 7, detectives acquired a tip that Ableman was hiding out at Kerr’s ex-girlfriend’s place. When police confirmed up, Ableman tried to elude them by ducking right into a bed room.

“I checked that bed room and located Ableman hiding beneath the covers of a mattress,” the affidavit states. “Once I pulled the covers off, Ableman acted as if she was asleep and didn’t hear the police calling for her.”

Ableman was arrested with out incident. She is being held on $500,000 bail.

“Ableman had no seen emotional change, nor did she ask any questions,” states the affidavit. “In my expertise when somebody is accused of against the law they didn’t commit they protest their innocence or ask for clarification. Ableman did neither.”

Ableman is because of seem in courtroom on Aug. 3. Andre Coleman’s mother mentioned it’s already on her calendar.

“I’m nonetheless attempting to course of all the pieces,” Leslie Taganas instructed The Each day Beast. “They arrested Amber, and I can be in any respect her courtroom dates.”