Woman convicted of dismembering landlord in Chicago
CHICAGO — Jurors on Monday have convicted a Chicago woman of killing her landlord and storing her body in a freezer.
Sandra Kolalou was found guilty of first-degree murder, dismemberment and aggravted identity theft.
It was an eventful last day of testimony, with the defendant, Kolalou, taking the stand in her own defense.
Arnold Walker, Fran Walker’s brother, said Kolalou’s testimony was an encouraging sign.
“That means they’re desperate,” he told WGN News.
Kolalou’s defense team, among other things, argued that police failed to adequately investigate other residents of the Westridge Boarding home where Walker’s body parts were found in 2022.
“I think the desperation and the improbability of what was proposed by the defense indicates the weakness of their case and the strength of the prosecution case,” Arnold Walker said.
Defense attorney Sean Brown, however, worked to cast doubt in closing arguments by pointing to other residents in Francis Walker’s boarding house at the 5900 block of North Washtenaw.
“They can’t show that my client committed these crimes beyond a reasonable doubt,” Brown said. “Beyond even the shadow of a doubt.”
Read more: Latest Chicago news headlines
But in a prosecution rebuttal, Assistant States Attorney Daniel Crone pushed back.
“The defendant was questioned because she was the only one carrying a bag of bloody rags, and she was questioned because she was the only one with the victim’s phone.”
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGN-TV.
