Ola Mae Wallace, 39, was found dead in an alley along North Sheridan Road in Chicago on June 25, 2001. Her death was part of a string of summer 2001 killings that targeted African American women who were reported to be drug-addicted sex workers; the victims were found partially clothed and had been strangled after sexual encounters.

Investigators later linked the series of murders to 27-year-old Kevin Taylor, a cook who worked on Michigan Avenue. A timecard with his name was found beneath the body of another victim, and forensic evidence plus a surviving victim’s identification connected him to multiple scenes. Taylor reportedly confessed to killing four women, including Wallace, and to attempting to kill a fifth, describing a pattern of arranging sexual encounters, taking victims to secluded locations, and strangling them after disputes over payment.

The killings highlighted the vulnerability of women involved in street-level sex work in the city.