Matthew Taylor Colemanis being held at a federal prison after his arrest for allegedlykilling his two childrenin Mexico — and PEOPLE has learned he is being held in protective custody so that he doesn’t interact with other inmates.
“He is in his cell about 23 hours a day,” says a source with direct knowledge of his incarceration. “He only sees his public defender. And he can’t have many personal effects in his cell. He’s got nothing but a Bible.”
Police say Coleman, a 40-year-old surfing instructor, drove the children – 2-year-old Kaleo and 10-month-old Roxy – into Mexico. Two days later, authorities allege, he took the kids to a ranch, where he killed them with a spearfishing gun and returned to his hotel a few hours later. He was arrested when he attempted to cross the border back into the United States.

Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up forPEOPLE’s free True Crime newsletterfor breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.
Matthew Taylor Coleman.Instagram

“M. Coleman stated that he believed his children were going to grow into monsters so he had to kill them,” Bannon wrote.

The sudden violence has shocked and saddened those who knew him.
“Our entire community is in mourning,” a surfing friend told PEOPLE. “We mourn the loss of Kaleo and Roxy, we mourn for Roxy, and we mourn the loss of our friend who we thought we knew.”
Coleman has not yet entered a plea. The public defender’s office has not returned PEOPLE’s calls for comment.
source: people.com