The Murder of Ruthie Mae McCoy

In 1987, Ruthie Mae McCoy called 911. She told the dispatcher that someone was "trying to tear the cabinet down" and to please send help. Police came, but left. A few days later she was found dead in her apartment in one of Chicago's ABLA housing projects. 

Her murder illustrates a problem that plagued ABLA Homes - that people climbed between apartments and broke into units via tunnels built behind bathroom medicine cabinets. Even moreso, her death highlights issues that poor people still face today, and her life was on track to become an example of the societal benefits of stopping the cycle of poverty.