Chicago Murder Trial Begins for "Suicidal Blond"

Chicago Murder Trial Begins for Suicidal Blond

Former Model Killed 3 Beloved Musicians With Car in Bid to End Her Life, Prosecutors Say

They probably never saw her coming.

It was July 14, 2005. Lunch hour in Chicago.

Three local musicians who worked day jobs together at an audio electronics company we’re stopped at a traffic light in a Honda Civic in a suburb north of the city.

At a speed authorities estimated at 70 miles per hour (Check the speed. I found stories that said the speed was about 90 m.p.h.), then 23-year-old former model Jeanette Sliwinski who, police said, was trying to kill herself ran three red lights and slammed them from behind in her red Mustang convertible.

Both cars flew airborne on impact, witnesses said, and each landed crushed upside-down on the pavement.

The three young men died. The suicidal woman walked away with a broken ankle. ( I’m uncomfortable with calling her a suicidal woman. At this point, it was unconfirmed that she was suicidal. This includes the headline.)

This week, more than two years later, her murder trial begins.

"The one thing that would have brought this thing to closure would have been had she been successful in what she set out to do that day,'' said Dave Meis, older brother of victim Douglas Meis, referring to the alleged suicide attempt by the ex-model.

Sliwinski's lawyers have denied that she was attempting suicide. Her current attorney did not return a call seeking comment on the case.

The suicidal crash and subsequent arrest brought Sliwinski internet infamy. Many blogs and websites have posted modeling pictures of Sliwinski since she was arrested. (Click here for pictures.)