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The FAQ: The Murder of Anastasia WitbolsFeugen
Is there a chronology of the night of the murder?

Here is an approximate chronology from what is known or estimated from communications, statements, testimony, evidence, and extrapolation. Specific sources are cited.

  • October 22
    •  3:30 PM    Having already received a call from Justin asking her to meet him,
                       Anastasia asks a ride from her stepmother 1
    •  4:10 PM    Anastasia leaves her home with her stepmother for Mt. Washington Cemetery 2
    •  4:20 PM    Anastasia arrives at the south gate at Mt. Washington;
                       she hikes the quarter-mile to the Nelson Mausoleum 3
    •  4:30 PM    Justin Bruton calls Anastasia’s house, speaks to her sister,
                       says he can't make it to pick her up 4
    •  5:30 PM    Anastasia walks from the Nelson to DQ, calls Justin Bruton's condo,
                       leaves a message demanding he pick her up 5
    •  6:50 PM    Bruton, Case, and Moffett pick Anastasia up at DQ 6
    •  7:00 PM    All arrive at Anastasia’s house; Anastasia changes clothes 7
    •  7:15 PM    Glenn Colliver spots Justin Bruton’s car at Mt. Washington;8
                       the foursome immediately leaves the cemetery 9
    •  7:30 PM    Anastasia is murdered by Byron Case at Lincoln Cemetery
    •  7:40 PM    Byron Case directs Justin Bruton to drive to a spot west and north of the murder site;
                       he drops the gun on nearby railroad tracks, and switches with Justin and takes over driving.10
    •  8:05 PM    Bruton, Case, and Moffett arrive at Bruton's condo
    •  8:25 PM    Bruton, Case, and Moffett visit Abraham Kneisley where he is house-sitting 11
    •  9:20 PM    Bruton, Case, and Moffett arrive at Kelly Moffett’s home in Lenexa, KS 12
    •  9:30 PM    Justin Bruton calls from Kelly Moffett's home to Anastasia’s house, again;13
                        speaks to her sister. Kelly goes upstairs to plant the first alibi with her mother.14
    • 10:10 PM    Bruton and Case visit Tara McDowell at her apartment 15
    • 10:30 PM    Justin Bruton drops Byron Case off at his mother's apartment;
                        Case tells his mother that Anastasia "didn't even wait for
                        the car to come to a stop before she jumped out".16
    • 10:40 PM    Justin Bruton calls Anastasia’s house, speaks to her father 17
    • 11:00 PM    Byron Case leaves his mother's apartment to working further on alibi
    • midnight     Byron Case returns to spot where he disposed of weapon, picks it up
                        again for later disposal further from crime scene. He then revisits Lincoln
                        Cemetery, then drives to a restaurant in Independence, MO for further planning
  • October 23
    • ~2:00 AM   Byron Case drives to his father's home in Kansas City, KS, where he will spend the night.18
    •  3:44 AM    Anastasia's body is discovered by police 19
    •  9:00 AM    Justin Bruton calls Byron Case, brief conversation
    • 10:30 AM   Justin Bruton arrives at the Bullet Hole gun shop, buys a shotgun 20
    • noon          Anastasia's family is notified of her murder.
    •  5:00 PM     Early evening news broadcasts report Anastasia's name as murder victim
    •  5:20 PM     Byron Case drives over to Aaron Vermeulen's parents' home.21
    •  5:30 PM     Case receives a page and returns call, affects great show of loss about Anastasia's death.22
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