Jury selection begins in Chicago landlord murder trial
CHICAGO (CBS) — The trial for a woman accused of killing and dismembering her landlord in Chicago's Arcadia Terrace neighborhood side began Monday.
Sandra Kolalou is accused of murdering 69-year-old Frances Walker and stashing her body parts in a freezer.
Jury selection began Monday, but the process couldn't be completed due to all the potential jurors' conflicts.
They picked 12 but need two more alternate jurors before opening statements in this gruesome case can begin.
Monday's jury selection proceedings came after months of delays.
The heinous murder that shocked the Arcadia Terrace community happened back in October of 2022.
Prosecutors said Sandra Kolalou brutally murdered and dismembered Walker, her landlord, out of anger after being evicted from her rooming house at 5919 N. Washtenaw Ave.
It was days after Walker received complaints from other tenants about Kalalou. When Walker went missing, tenants called the police.
Prosecutors said Kolalou called a tow truck to take her to Foster Beach, where her broken-down car was parked.
The tow truck driver watched her dump a black garbage bag into a garbage can. At the beach, pooled blood and blood-soaked rags were found inside.
Investigators later discovered portions of Walker's body in a bag at Foster Beach and in the home's freezer.
Kolalou was charged with Walker's death and concealing the murder. On Monday, some members of Walker's family showed their support in court.
Kolalou's defense team asked that inheritance records be admissible in the trial and suggested that it was not Kolalou but Walker's husband who had a motive to commit the murder.
Prosecutors said Walker's husband may be called as a witness.
Jury selection continues on Tuesday. Jurors were told to expect this case to continue into early next week.