'We miss Fran a lot': Tenant served with eviction notice convicted of killing, dismembering 69-year-old landlord with 'large butcher knives' and storing body parts in freezer

Sandra Kolalou, left, was convicted of the murder of Frances Walker, right. (Sandra Kolalou via Cook County Sheriff’s; Victim photo from Facebook)

A tenant in Chicago was convicted of the killing and dismembering of her 69-year-old landlord using “large butcher knives” and stashing the body parts in a freezer over an eviction notice.

Sandra Kolalou, 37, was convicted on Monday of first-degree murder, dismembering a body, concealing a homicidal death, and aggravated identity theft in the killing of Frances Walker.

“We miss Fran a lot. She is the person no one can say anything bad about at all,” said sister-in-law Maria Maggie Walker after the verdict, Chicago NBC affiliate WMAQ reported .

Kolalou denied killing Walker, who she testified was a friend, saying, “I would do anything for Fran,” the Chicago Sun-Times reported. Her lawyers reportedly plan to appeal,

As Law&Crime reported, the killing happened on Oct. 10, 2022. Police responded to a call of a possible missing person at a boardinghouse where Kolalou had rented a room from Walker in the 5900 block of North Washtenaw Avenue.

Tenants in the building reported hearing Walker screaming at 2:30 a.m. and made several attempts to contact her. Walker did not respond, but several text messages were sent from her phone — texts officials said were sent by Kolalou.

When the tenants could not make contact all day, they called 911 to report her missing. As police arrived, Kolalou was seen exiting the residence and getting into a tow truck that she had allegedly ordered and paid for using Walker’s credit card. She refused to talk to the police, saying she knew her rights, and told the tow truck driver to take her to Foster Beach to get her car.

Prosecutors said “many of the tenants” in the boardinghouse were afraid of Kolalou, adding that police had responded to several previous 911 calls regarding the defendant. Fearful for the tow truck driver’s safety, several of the tenants exchanged information with him and made clear that they believed Kolalou to be dangerous, police said.

The tow truck driver soon contacted one of the tenants and relayed that when Kolalou got to Foster Beach, she “placed a large bag in a garbage can,” Deenihan said. Several tenants had followed the tow truck and opened the bag to discover bloody rags and linens inside. They notified the officers who were already back at the house, and additional officers responded to Foster Beach and the boardinghouse.

After an initial search revealed no signs of foul play, police searched Kolalou’s room again, this time finding blood and “the gruesome remains” in Kolalou’s freezer, police said. Investigators then obtained a search warrant and allegedly discovered additional blood spatter and several bloody kitchen knives.

Kolalou was still with the tow truck driver and had threatened him with a knife for contacting the other tenants, authorities said.

“Due to the communication between the tow truck driver and the tenants, police were able to get to that scene immediately and place the defendant in custody for pulling a knife on the tow truck driver,” Deenihan said.

Kolalou was transported to the police station, where she “immediately invoked her right to remain silent,” police said.

Kolalou is believed to have killed and dismembered Walker in Walker’s bedroom “with large butcher knives.”

Police said Walker had served the defendant with a notice to leave or an eviction notice.

Kolalou is set to be sentenced on June 20.

Law&Crime’s Jerry Lambe contributed to this report.

The post ‘We miss Fran a lot’: Tenant served with eviction notice convicted of killing, dismembering 69-year-old landlord with ‘large butcher knives’ and storing body parts in freezer first appeared on Law & Crime .