Woman who killed and butchered landlord won a $3 million lawsuit against the CTA while murder case was pending: court files

Sandra Kolalou in a January 2022 mugshot and Frances Walker are seen inset with a crash report diagram of the CTA bus incident. (Chicago Police Department, veganula.com, Cook County Circuit Court records)

CHICAGO — Sandra Kolalou, the woman sentenced to 56 years in prison this week for murdering and dismembering her landlord, won a $3 million lawsuit against the CTA while she was in jail awaiting trial on the charges, court records show.

The judge overseeing the ongoing civil suit permitted Kolalou to proceed in that case under her maiden name, Sandra White, following her arrest and charges of Frances Walker’s murder and dismemberment.

The 2019 lawsuit stemmed from a March 1, 2018, accident in Rogers Park. Kolalou was crossing the street in a crosswalk when a #22 Clark bus struck her while making a left-hand turn at Clark and Howard.

Kolalou sued the CTA and the bus driver, claiming permanent back injuries, the possible need for surgery, and regularly experiencing “10 out of 10” severe pain in her lower back and legs.

Just four months before the case was set for trial, prosecutors charged Kolalou with murdering her landlord, Frances Walker, in their West Ridge home.

Within weeks, her attorneys sought to have the jury sequestered during the upcoming trial, an effort that failed. However, they succeeded in convincing a judge to prohibit anyone from using the name Kolalou during the trial due to a “strong prejudice against murderers.”

Instead, the case proceeded with her being identified as Sandra White, even though she continued to live under her married name after getting divorced years earlier.

On February 27, 2023, a jury handed Kolalou a $3 million award at trial, plus costs.

Court records show the CTA filed a motion for a new trial in May 2023, citing the poor audio quality of Kolalou’s deposition, which had been recorded inside the Cook County jail, and her alleged failure to disclose social media accounts.

Those social media posts showed Kolalou “cliff-jumping, swimming with the dolphins, roller-skating, playing tennis, wearing high heels, and traveling to far-away destinations such as Egypt, South Africa, and Mexico” while she was experiencing debilitating leg and back pain.

Sandra Kolalou leaps before the pyramids of Egypt in a social media photo submitted to the court by CTA lawyers. (Instagram)

Sandra Kolalou rides a camel in a social media photo submitted to the court by CTA lawyers. (Instagram)

Sandra Kolalou jumps from a cliff in a social media photo submitted to the court by CTA lawyers. (Cook County Circuit Court files)

Sandra Kolalou rides an ATV in a social media photo submitted to the court by CTA lawyers. (Cook County Circuit Court files)

Last fall, a new trial took place, and the second jury nearly reached the same verdict as the first, awarding Kolalou $2.8 million plus costs. At least one expert testified during the trial that the social media photos did not contradict her claims of experiencing severe back and leg pain.

The CTA tried, but failed, to get a third trial. They are appealing. Among other things, the transit agency argues that the civil trial should have been postponed until after the criminal case was resolved. Lawyers for CTA are expected to argue that her life in prison will have a different value than if she were free, and she will not be paying for private medical services while behind bars.

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