Tenant Who Was Facing Eviction Charged With Murdering Landlord and Hiding Remains in Freezer

The Chicago Police Department have accused Sandra Kolalou or killing Frances Walker, a 69-year-old woman whose body was found in a freezer on Monday.

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An Illinois woman was arrested this week in connection to the death of Frances Walker, a 69-year-old landlord whose remains were found in a freezer.

According to Law & Crime, authorities arrested 36-year-old Sandra Kolalou on Monday, just hours after Walker’s dismembered body was discovered in the far North Side of Chicago. Kalalou was reportedly renting a room in Walker’s West Ridge home when the murder took place. Police say they believe the attack occurred in Walker’s bedroom at approximately 2:30 a.m.., when other tenants reported hearing the landlord screaming. Residents claimed they tried to make contact with Walker multiple times throughout the day, but never received a direct response. Though they received text messages from Walker’s phone—allegedly sent by Kolalou—the tenants became suspicious and alerted authorities.

Officers arrived at the home at around 7 p.m. later that day and found Kalalou leaving the home and getting into a tow truck that she allegedly ordered using Walker’s credit card. The Chicago Police Department say the woman refused to speak to officers and instructed the tow truck driver to take her to pick up her car in Foster Beach. However, before the driver took off, he gave his contact information to the other tenants, just in case something went wrong.

Shortly after, the driver called one of the tenants, claiming the woman had dumped “a large bag in a garbage can” at Foster Beach. Tenants who reportedly followed the tow truck claimed they took a look inside the bag and found bloody towels and linens. They then contacted police about their findings, prompting officers to conduct another search of Kolalou’s room. They eventually found “the gruesome remains” in the woman’s freezer, as well as bloody kitchen knives.

The tow truck driver then called police, alleging Kalalou had threatened him with a knife after she learned he had called her fellow tenants. Authorities arrived at the scene minutes later and took Kalalou into custody. The woman was subsequently charged with first-degree murder and concealment of a homicide.

When pressed about a possible motive, Chief of Detectives Brendan Deenihan claimed Kalalou had received an eviction notice just days before Walker’s death. The investigation is ongoing.

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