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

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

  • October 22
    •  3:45 PM    Having already received a call from Justin Bruton 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 come and pick her up.5
    •  6:50 PM    Justin Bruton, along with Byron Case and Kelly Moffett, picks Anastasia up at DQ.6
    •  7:00 PM    All arrive at Anastasia s house; Anastasia changes clothes, after which they all head back toward Mt. Washington Cemetery.7
    •  7:15 PM    Glenn Colliver spots Justin Bruton s car at Mt. Washington;8 the foursome immediately leaves the cemetery.9
    •  7:20 PM    Having exited Mt. Washington from the north gate, Bruton turns east (right) and then south (right) down Brookside Avenue, turning west (right) on Truman Road.and then turning north (right) up a twisting road which is the back entrance of Lincoln Cemetery.
    •  7:25 PM    Byron Case murders Anastasia at Lincoln Cemetery.10
    •  7:40 PM    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 places with Justin, taking over driving.11
    •  8:00 PM    Justin Bruton arrives at his condo with Case and Moffett in tow.12
    •  8:15 PM    The three leave the condo to visit Abraham Kneisley, who is house-sitting.13nearby
    •  8:30 PM    The three leave Abraham Kneisley's place and head to Kelly's parents' home14
    •  9:15 PM    Case, Bruton, and Moffett arrive at her home in Lenexa, KS.15
    •  9:30 PM    Justin Bruton calls from there to Anastasia s house, again;16 speaks to her sister. Kelly Moffett goes upstairs to plant the first alibi with her mother.17
    • 10:10 PM    Bruton and Case go to Tara McDowell's apartment; they talk in the hallway outside, but do not go in.18
    • 10:30 PM    Justin Bruton drops 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".19
    • 10:40 PM    Justin Bruton calls Anastasia s house, speaks to her father.20
    • 11:00 PM    Case leaves his mother's apartment to working further on alibi.
    • ~midnight     Case returns to spot where he disposed of weapon, picks it up again for later disposal further from crime scene. He studies Truman Road for places to include in his alibi, then revisits Lincoln Cemetery; eventually drives to his father's home in Kansas City, KS, where he will spend the night.21
  • October 23
    •  3:44 AM    Anastasia's body is discovered by police.22
    •  9:00 AM    First news broadcasts that a body has been found in the area of Truman and Blue Ridge.23
    •  9:00 AM    Justin Bruton calls Case at his mother's home, does not find him there. He then pages Case, who is at his father's home, and they have a brief conversation.
    • 10:30 AM   Justin Bruton arrives at the Bullet Hole gun shop, buys a 12-gauge shotgun and shells24 He then vanishes from sight.
    • 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     Case drives over to Aaron Vermeulen's home.25
    •  5:30 PM     In a pre-planned action, Case receives a page and returns the call, and then affects a great show of loss when he "learns" about Anastasia's death.26
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