The Podcast

Chapter 7

West Coast Killers #142: Ruined Bruins

In addition to the lack of obvious injuries or wounds on Hanna Bellevue's face and body, investigators notice that several of her personal items are missing. There's no purse in the car, which Hanna would have almost certainly had on her anytime she left the house. Even more disturbing, officers are unable to locate the keys to the vehicle. This leads them to believe that the keys are likely still in possession of whoever put her body back inside her car, locking her in after leaving. Oddly, her driver's license and student ID are both found in the glovebox. So it's almost like whoever did this very intentionally left those items behind, separate from Hanna's other personal belongings.

So with these initial findings at the scene, the latest question becomes: was this murder or an accident gone horribly wrong? Had Hanna been given some sort of party drug and died from an accidental overdose? Did whoever put her in her car have a sense of guilt, leaving behind her IDs so she could be easily identified? It's hard to say. But because there's no evidence of a struggle or injury, investigators lean into the theory that this is likely the cause of a tragic accident. Either way, at this point police know they won't get any more answers until they're able to transport Hanna's body to the medical examiner for testing.

Making the dreadful call that no parent ever wants to receive, investigators reach out to Hanna's parents, Chad and Corin Bellevue. Now, Hanna is originally from Alabama so her devastated parents have to take an evening flight out to Los Angeles, delaying their arrival on the scene. Over the phone, officers are able to ask Chad and Corin a few questions about their daughter, including if she had any known medical issues or drug allergies. Investigators also question them about drug use in general, recreational or otherwise. But Chad and Corin are adamant that their daughter does not do drugs. They also confirm that she does not have any known conditions, illnesses, or allergies.

But as they are literally transporting Hanna's body to the medical examiner—the entire UCLA Pi Beta Phi sorority chapter grieving on the steps of their shared home—LAPD officers get another call. One that changes absolutely everything about how they view Hanna's death.

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The call that LAPD officers receive at approximately 9:30 PM on February 6th 1997, less than one hour after finding Hanna Bellevue dead inside her car, alerts them to another dead UCLA student: Connor Foster. Now, UCLA is a big school and perhaps it could just be a truly tragic coincidence for the university: two unrelated deaths in one night. But the investigators have already been interviewing Hanna Bellevue's closest friends to learn more about her life—one being Aubrey Fullbright—her best friend and roommate who initially recognized Hanna inside the car. When asked about Hanna, Aubrey told investigators a bone-chilling piece of information without even knowing the second call had been made. Connor Foster isn't just some unrelated UCLA student: he's Hanna Bellevue's boyfriend.

Seriously, I can only imagine the sheer panic the on-site investigators must have been feeling when getting that bomb drop of news. According to Reporting by Nelson Rodriguez for the Bruins Chronicle, the LAPD immediately knew the thesis of Hanna's death being accidental was now seriously in jeopardy, overshadowed by something far more messy. But the horror doesn't stop there. When police arrive at Connor Foster's off-campus apartment, they don't find him the same way Hanna had been found. Instead, lying face down with all four limbs outstretched, the back of Connor's skull is bashed in, surrounded by a pool of his own blood.