Friday  8/16/1957

Evening

Judith Mae Andersen (15) visits the house of Nancy O'Brien (16) at 222 N. Kenneth Ave. to discuss Kenneth Blevins, a sailor residing at the Norman OK Naval Air Station, who had been dating them both.  "I told her Ken and I were going to get married," Nancy reported.  "To prove it, we telephoned Ken in Oklahoma." Kenneth admitted that he loved Nancy.  Later Kenneth admitted to the Sun Times that he loved JMA and that the two had dated twice between 7/26-8/11 while he was on leave in Chicago (Chicago Sun Times 8/26/57).

[map from the Chicago Tribune, 09/02/1957]

7:30 pm

Time at which Elena Abbatacola (15) [drawing on right] stated that she and JMA left the dairy bar at 5756 W. North (CST 8/28/57).

10:15 pm

Josephine Blandi (14), a clerk at the dairy bar, tells investigators that she saw JMA in and out of the store four times that day, "carrying a china vase with a fluted top."  Josephine attributes to JMA the following quote: "I'm going on a trip, so I plan to give my mother her birthday gift ahead of time."  This story was partially confirmed by Judy's brother Robert, who contributed $3.00 to the gift.  Josephine also stated that JMA, Elena and Nicholas Abbatacola were in the store until 10:15 pm.  But John Abbatacola and other family members claimed that Nicholas was working at Johny's Pizza, 5753 W. Madison, until 4 am on 8/17  (CST 8/28/57).  Witnesses later confirmed Nicholas' story (CST 8/29/57).

11:00 pm

Judith Mae Andersen (5' 8", 150 lbs., blue, blonde, wearing white blouse, black sweater, white summer shoes, "Ivy League" trousers) phones her mother Ruth [drawing on right] (43) and asks if she may stay 30 min. longer at the house of her friend, Elena Abbatacola, 1019 N. Central.  Ruth says no.  Her last words to her father: "Ye, Dad, I'll be right home (CST 8/22/57).

11:00 pm

Witnesses Mary Tompkins and Velma Pettibone, of 1023 N. Central, Paul and Jasper Livoti, brothers, of 5520 W. Cortez, and Clara Cullen, of 5506 W Cortez hear a shot fired near the Abbatacola residence (CST 8/27/57).

11:26 pm

Police receive report of screaming coming from the Austin school ground, one mile south of the Andersen home (CST 8/27/57).

11:30-11:45

Marie Cardarelli from her second floor apartment at 1541 N. Lotus hears a "heartbreaking cry that continued for perhaps 10 minutes," perhaps coming from the street.  Later "nothing of importance to the case" was discovered in the building's garage (CST 8/26/57).

12:00 am

JMA's father, Ralph Andersen [drawing on right] (43), phones the Abbatacola residence, but there is no answer.

12:30 am

Ralph Andersen knocks on the door of the Abbatacola residence, but there is no answer.

12:30-2:30 am

Ralph Andersen searches the neighborhood for his daughter.

2:30 am

Mary Abbatacola, a widow, answers the door (?) at the Abbatacola residence and wakes up Elena, who tells Ralph that JMA had planed to take the bus home that night.

3:25 am

Ralph Anderson informs police that JMA is missing (CST 8/22/57).

Saturday 8/17/57

Elena Abbatacola telephones three boys who were present with herself, Robert Abbatacola and JMA the night of her disappearance.  She tells them that Judy is missing and not to tell anyone that they had all spent the evening together (CST 8/29/57; source: Elena's confession to a police investigator at the inquest of 8/28/57).

Sunday 8/18/57

JMA is missing.

Monday 8/19/57

Kenneth Blevins writes to Elena Abbatacola: "as soon as you read this letter, call Judy and tell her I lover her." (CST 8/26/57; source: Elena, speaking to investigators (CST 8/27/57).

Tuesday 8/20/57 10:00 am --Thursday 8/22/57

10:00 am

Coroner pathologist Victor Levine determines that JMA must have been killed 24-72 hours before being discovered in Montrose Harbor.  It is assumed that she was alive and kept captive from 8/16 to 8/20-8/22, then murdered (CST 8/26/57; no explanation is offered for why this theory is preferable to the possibility that she was killed shortly after capture, her body hidden from 8/16 to 8/20-8/22, then dumped into Montrose Harbor).

Friday 8/23/57 10:00 am

A cut down 50 gal oil drum is found floating in Montrose Harbor.  Its contents: the naked torso, legs, left arm, elbow and wrist of Judith Mae Andersen.  Also inside, according to the Chicago Sun Times, were several brown "neck hairs clinging to the torso."  These are assumed to belong to JMA, but JMA was blonde (CST 8/23/57.  The theory is never offered that the hairs belonged to JMA's murderer).

Saturday 8/24/57 afternoon

A 5 gal. oil drum is found floating in Montrose Harbor.  Its contents: the severed head, right arm and both hands of Judith Mae Andersen.  Coroner pathologist Victor Levine determines that the cause of death was one of four bullets wounds to the head (CST 8/25/57).