Creve Coeur, MO: Man held in murder of wife outside hospital

BY DENISE HOLLINSHED • dhollinshed@post-dispatch.com > 314-340-8319 | Posted: Thursday, August 5, 2010 12:05 am | (5) Comments

CREVE COEUR • Not quite a month after Mary Colletta obtained a restraining order against her estranged husband, he stabbed her to death outside St. John's Mercy Medical Center in Creve Coeur, officials said.
Christopher P. Colletta, 38, was charged Wednesday with first-degree murder and armed criminal action in the killing the afternoon before. He was held without bond.
Officials said Mary Colletta, 30, a hospital employee, was found dead Tuesday afternoon on the top deck of the four-level garage there.
The suspect made statements admitting the crime to other people, according to court documents.
He lives in the 4600 block of Granada Drive in Hillsboro.
Mary Colletta had obtained a restraining order against him on July 6 in Jefferson County Circuit Court, the clerk's office there said.
A hearing scheduled for July 14 had been postponed to Oct. 20, and the restraining order remained in effect.
St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Robert P. McCulloch said a family member turned Christopher Colletta in to Creve Coeur police. His vehicle was found at a marina in St. Charles.
Police said Mary Colletta was stabbed more than a dozen times and the weapon has not been recovered.
"Obviously she had great fear, otherwise she wouldn't have been seeking a restraining order against him in the first place," McCulloch told reporters.
He said investigators are unsure of exactly what prompted the attack but noted that the couple were in the midst of a divorce. Both had children, but none together.
Mike McCurry, the president and CEO of St. John's Mercy, spoke briefly to reporters Wednesday before a private prayer service for employees and the victim's family and friends.
"Our hearts go out to the family, and our hearts are broken," McCurry said.
In a prepared statement released earlier, he said, in part, "We want our patients and co-workers to know that the safety of individuals on our campus is one of our highest priorities."
He said two other employees discovered Mary Colletta beside her car shortly before 5 p.m. Her shift had ended at 4:30 p.m.
The Major Case Squad assisted Creve Coeur police in the investigation.
Tim O'Neil, Leah Thorsen and Christine Byers of the Post-Dispatch contributed to this report.