162:, his release on a legal loophole, and his second arrest months later for another murder. Kolarik began following Eyler's case when he was first arrested in 1983. But it wasn't until the day he was convicted of murder in 1986 that she left her job at WLS-TV to research the Eyler case. It took Kolarik four years to complete the book which involved more than 200 interviews—with police officers, journalists, the families of victims, past sex partners of
201:, recounts the story of Connie Krauser Chaney, who was stalked and eventually murdered by her estranged husband Wayne Chaney who was then shot and killed by police the next day. through letters she had written to her family as well as excerpts of Wayne Chaney's depraved diary. Connie Chaney's murder compelled the State of Illinois to ratify one of the nation's first and toughest anti-stalking laws, the 1992 Illinois Stalking Law.
20:
166:, and even Sarah Dobrovolskis, the wife of Eyler's lover, John, who died of AIDS in January 1990 — as well as researching police records and archival material and visiting the crime scenes. The book, which alleged that Eyler was connected to several murders, resulted in the investigation being later reopened by Indiana police. According to the
120:. In 1984, while working as an assignment editor at WLS-TV, Kolarik won an Emmy Award for Best Spot News Coverage for the fatal shooting of Judge Henry Gentile. She also won two awards for Individual Excellence at the 26th Annual Chicago Emmy Award Presentation. She was also nominated for an Emmy Award for her coverage of serial killer
174:
is considered to be one of the factors in bringing charges against Eyler’s suspected accomplice, Robert Little, for assisting him in torturing and killing Steven Agan in 1982. Little was later acquitted of all charges. During the Eyler trial, Kolarik was featured as the cover story "Sleuth in a
194:, Illinois residents Nancy and Richard Langert, committed by a local teen. While researching the book, Kolarik hung out among Biro's acquaintances, in the juice bars, punk rock bars and schools. One of Biro's friends hit her and broke his fingers on her bulletproof vest.
170:, "Despite all of the prosecutorial and police talent working full-time on these tortures and heinous murders, she was the first to spot a link between the Indiana and Illinois killings and to alert the Lake County sheriff to the multi-state pattern of the crimes."
214:
In 1988, she founded
Evidence Video which produces day-in-the-life documentaries and depositions by witnesses. For one of the cases she worked on, which involved six children killed in a car crash, the trial tapes were shown on the
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is as chilling as today's tragic headlines about women who love the wrong men...searing...gripping...spellbinding...Read and beware." All three of
Kolarik's books have been sold for movie options.
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Kolarik is active in programs that help
Chicago-area students from low and middle income families and minority students to gain a better education. She sits on the Board of Directors for
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66:
with her older sister
Barbara Marie, an elementary school teacher. Kolarik graduated from Morton West High School where she was the feature editor of the school newspaper
143:, a play about a fictional newsroom’s operations on Christmas based on Kolarik’s experiences as a reporter for the City News Bureau. It debuted on Christmas Day at the
235:
438:
Avon Books. "Avon Books
Publishes Emmy Award Winning Author and Journalist Gera-Lind Kolarik's True Crime Story PRISONERS OF FEAR as a Mass Market Paperback.", "
265:
While visiting China, Kolarik met a university student studying
Chinese Literature, Yanfei Hu. Kolarik decided to sponsor that student's pursuit of her
255:
30:
is an
American journalist, playwright and best selling author of true-crime books. Her work has been included television appearances on
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85:, "After graduating from Rosary College, Kolarik discovered her interest in crime when she covered the police and political beats for
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89:. On her first assignment, a bullet whizzed past her ear while chasing a fleeing bank robber. She keeps it as a good luck charm.
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Kolarik was born to James, a factory worker, and
Geraldine Kolarik, a homemaker. She grew up in the Chicago suburb of
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151:, Kolarik’s play, "explores the brutal psychic costs that sometimes accompany a lifetime in the news business."
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in the United States. Since then
Kolarik has sponsored other Chinese students who want to study in the U.S.
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Roche, Lynn. "SPJ Member's Novel Leads to
Justice", "The Quill", Indianapolis, 1990, p. 42.
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659:"Frank, Maurice A. "Author of Book on Serial Murder Helped Police Establish Pattern",
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with a BA in Communications and an Illinois secondary school teaching certificate.
207:, American true-crime writer said, "Gera-Lind Kolarik gets better with every book!
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Pearson Rick and Robert Vitale. "Bill Aimed at Thwarting Stalkers Goes to Edgar",
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reached the number seven spot on the Chicago Tribune's non-fiction list in 1990.
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Since 1973, she has reported for several Chicago-area newspapers including the
503:"WLS-TV Captures 1984 Chicago Emmy's for Spot News and Magazine Programming",
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Besides working as a TV journalist, Kolarik wrote a play and published three
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as a contribution for the organization’s scholarship fund. According to the
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158:, describes the locating and arresting of suspected serial murderer
601:
Dorsey, Ann. "Author's Interests Lie in Stories Behind Headlines",
324:(Dec. 1994) ABA Journal, "Case Proves Senior Verdicts Can Be Large"
625:
Williams, Albert. "Piecing Together Larry Eyler's Grisly Trail",
330:(May 18, 1993) Family Circle, "Stalking: Terror in the Shadows"
327:(Jan. 1994) ABA Journal, "Judge Rules in Dangerous Client Suit"
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309:(Jan 1996) ABA Journal, "Developments, DNA, Changed Testimony"
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306:(Mar 1997) ABA Journal, "A Psychological Payoff in O.J. Case"
862:"Alumna supports MBA student from China: Dominican Newsroom"
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Roger Flaherty, Dolores. "A Cliché-Ridden Story of Murder",
531:"Newspaper Play Still In Works, But Ready To Make Its Debut"
18:
642:"Eyler Revealing Details Of 1982 Torture Murder In Indiana"
776:
Rhodes, Anthe, and Julie Wichman. "A Life of True Crime",
586:
McNamee, Tom. "The Cops Knew It, But Couldn’t Prove It",
108:. She later worked as an overnight assignment editor for
318:(May 1995) ABA Journal, "Fingerprints Exonerate Convict"
50:, a Chicago-based video production company that assists
454:"Griffith Firm’s Videotapes Have Their Day in Court", "
144:
321:(March 1995) Chicago Magazine, "Til Death Do Us Part"
303:(July 1997) ABA Journal, "News, A Different Outcome"
54:in personal injury and workers compensation cases.
887:, Dominican University. Retrieved March 9, 2012.
881:: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (
733:, October 28, 1990, Sunday Edition, section 14.
650:, December 12, 1990. Retrieved April 13, 2012.
470:Valeo, Tom. "Contradictions and a Deadline",
8:
797:"Chaney Case Leaves Trail Of Wreckage, Hope"
767:, October 7, 1990. Retrieved March 9, 2012.
485:Swanson, Lorraine. "Crime and Publishing",
864:. Archived from the original on 2012-07-23
805:, March 17, 1993. Retrieved March 9, 2012.
759:"Teen Charged in Winnetka Couple’s Deaths"
569:"Frank Devine - Shameless and Proud of It"
712:Lindberg, Richard. "Sleuth in a Skirt."
795:McRoberts, Flynn, and Christine Hawes.
631:, Chicago, November 1, 1990, pp. 25-26.
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102:Oak Park and Life Newspapers of Berwyn
695:"2 Warned Of Escapee Linked To Eyler"
676:"Professor Linked To Eyler Acquitted"
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422:Herguth, Bob. "Gera-Lind Kolarik.", "
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222:In 2012, digital (ebook) editions of
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550:"The News Is Not Good for 'Dreams'"
520:", Oak Park, June 18, 1997, p. 109.
516:"Author Kolarik to Speak at Maze","
312:(Sept 1995) Ladies' Home Journal,
197:Her most recent true-crime story,
81:According to Chicago publication,
70:. She attended and graduated from
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458:", Merrillville, 22 October 1990.
258:, an all-girl Catholic school in
112:, a producer for John Drummond's
104:and a freelance stringer for the
757:Wilson, Terry, and Blair Kamin.
844:Kupcinet, Irv. "Kup's Column",
814:Kupcinet, Irv. "Kup's Column",
219:show, as well as on local TV.
179:November/December 1990 issue.
139:books. In 1984, Kolarik wrote
124:and for the five-part series,
74:(now Dominican University) in
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476:, Chicago, September 4, 1985.
128:she produced with TV anchor
186:In 1994, Kolarik published
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662:Chicago Daily Law Bulletin
491:, Chicago, April 14, 1997.
256:Queen of Peace High School
190:about the 1990 murders of
168:Chicago Daily Law Bulletin
908:Journalists from Illinois
234:were published. In 2015,
246:also became available.
76:River Forest, Illinois
68:The Morton West Falcon
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375:The Maury Povich Show
367:The Phil Donahue Show
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820:, November 21, 1993.
784:Milwaukee, Wisconsin
558:, September 6, 1985.
539:, February 22, 1985.
859:Sanchez, Samantha.
665:, December 7, 1990.
592:, October 14, 1990.
426:", 15 October 1990.
16:American journalist
850:, August 29, 1999.
145:Chicago Press Club
114:Chicago Chronicles
106:Chicago Daily News
46:. Kolarik founded
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847:Chicago Sun-Times
817:Chicago Sun-Times
748:, March 27, 1994.
745:Chicago Sun-Times
727:"Tribune Books",
684:, April 18, 1991.
589:Chicago Sun-Times
456:Post-Tribune (IN)
424:Chicago Sun-Times
388:January 21, 1992
291:Prisoners of Fear
240:Prisoners of Fear
224:Prisoners of Fear
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199:Prisoners of Fear
126:Playground Safety
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32:Maury Povich
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359:Killer Kids
335:Appearances
164:Larry Eyler
160:Larry Eyler
122:Larry Eyler
897:Categories
868:2012-06-15
440:Avon Books
406:References
175:Skirt" in
137:true crime
285:I Am Cain
244:I Am Cain
228:I Am Cain
188:I Am Cain
58:Biography
52:attorneys
877:cite web
442:", 1995.
351:48 Hours
298:Articles
205:Ann Rule
192:Winnetka
130:Linda Yu
40:48 Hours
507:, 1994.
488:Skyline
399:Geraldo
260:Burbank
217:"Today"
83:Skyline
505:WLS-TV
293:, 1995
287:, 1990
281:, 1990
118:WLS-TV
273:Books
883:link
242:and
230:and
267:MBA
238:of
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