ellroy1958
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In remembrance of Wanda June Anderson, fifty years ago today.
On the evening of Thursday, July 15th, 1965, Wanda June Anderson, 11 years old, was babysitting her six nephews and nieces (including ten-week old twin girls) while her older sister and brother in law were out. They had left at 10 p.m. and had gone to a grocery, then to Evelyn's Beer Tavern on West End.
When they arrived back at 12:30 a.m. (Friday, July 16th), both the front door of their apartment house (1213 16th Avenue South, Nashville, TN) and the door in the back to their two-room basement apartment were wide open.
They could hear one of the babies crying.
Wanda could not be found in the apartment, but blood was found on the bedsheets. She was found, unconscious, in the backyard, 15 yards from the rear of the building. She had been raped and badly beaten. A bloodstained piece of iron pipe, eighteen inches long, was found nearby.
She was rushed to Vanderbilt Hospital at 1 a.m. She stayed in critical condition, but succumbed to her wounds on Saturday, July 17th, 1965.
The oldest of the children being babysat that night was eight years old. None of the older kids could provide any information, having slept through the attack.
Police believed she was first struck while sleeping and then carried out back, beaten and assaulted.
Neighbors reported hearing noise around midnight, but none investigated.
Wanda June Anderson had lived in Joelton with her parents.
On the evening of Thursday, July 15th, 1965, Wanda June Anderson, 11 years old, was babysitting her six nephews and nieces (including ten-week old twin girls) while her older sister and brother in law were out. They had left at 10 p.m. and had gone to a grocery, then to Evelyn's Beer Tavern on West End.
When they arrived back at 12:30 a.m. (Friday, July 16th), both the front door of their apartment house (1213 16th Avenue South, Nashville, TN) and the door in the back to their two-room basement apartment were wide open.
They could hear one of the babies crying.
Wanda could not be found in the apartment, but blood was found on the bedsheets. She was found, unconscious, in the backyard, 15 yards from the rear of the building. She had been raped and badly beaten. A bloodstained piece of iron pipe, eighteen inches long, was found nearby.
She was rushed to Vanderbilt Hospital at 1 a.m. She stayed in critical condition, but succumbed to her wounds on Saturday, July 17th, 1965.
The oldest of the children being babysat that night was eight years old. None of the older kids could provide any information, having slept through the attack.
Police believed she was first struck while sleeping and then carried out back, beaten and assaulted.
Neighbors reported hearing noise around midnight, but none investigated.
Wanda June Anderson had lived in Joelton with her parents.