Woman sentenced to 58 years for killing, dismembering Chicago landlord

CHICAGO (CBS) — The woman convicted of killing her landlord and hiding her body parts in a freezer and a garbage bin at a North Side beach nearly two years ago was sentenced to 58 years in prison on Wednesday.

Sandra Kolalou was convicted in April on multiple charges, including first-degree murder, for the death of 69-year-old Frances Walker in October 2022 at a home in Arcadia Terrace.

At Kolalou's sentencing hearing Wednesday, Cook County Judge Ursula Walowski said the case was like something out of a horror movie and said Kolalou clearly has no sense of remorse for her crime.

The judge also said it seems Kolalou wants to run the show while behind jail, citing multiple grievances she filed against a corrections officer and her verbal abuse of other jail staff. At the hearing, a corrections officer also testified about how Kolalou attacked her while in custody, leaving the officer with a broken ankle.

Walowski sentenced Kolalou to 50 years in prison for her conviction for first-degree murder, 6 years for dismembering Walker's body, and 2 years for aggravated identity theft. The sentences will be served consecutively, but Kolalou will get credit for 641 days she already has spent in jail.

Before she was sentenced, Kolalou spoke on her own behalf, saying she sent her condolences to Walker's family, but she insisted she was not a killer.

Prosecutors say Kolalou was upset that she was being evicted by Walker from a rooming house at 5919 N. Washtenaw Ave. The murder happened two days after Walker received complaints from other tenants about Kolalou.

Police at the time said Kolalou replied to the text messages, conveying the impression that Walker was still alive.

Prosecutors said Kolalou called a tow truck to take her to Foster Beach, where her broken-down car was parked. At one point, she pulled out a knife on the driver in the area of Western and Estes after they refused to take her elsewhere.

The tow truck driver watched her dump a black garbage bag into a garbage bin. At the beach, pooled blood and blood-soaked rags were found inside. Investigators also found portions of Walker's body in the home's freezer.

Kolalou was charged with first-degree murder and concealing a homicidal death and one misdemeanor count of aggravated assault with the use of a deadly weapon.

During Kolalou's sentencing hearing, Walker's brother, Arnold, testified that they grew up together as two of six children and told the judge about her love of music, especially playing the piano.

Arnold also testified about how his sister helped care for their special needs brother, Stan.

Walker's niece, Katarina, told the judge her life has fallen apart since Walker's death, and she said she can no longer enter a church because it reminds her of Walker playing the piano.

Kolalou originally was scheduled to be sentenced last month, but at her last hearing her lawyers said there were letters from family and video of her saving an elderly woman that they didn't have and wanted to show the court.

Kolalou's attorneys said they plan to appeal her sentence.

Her defense team also previously filed a motion for a retrial, which was denied.