Tragedy unfolds hour by hour

Originally published Jan. 10, 1993

Police found the bodies of the two owners and five employees in the back of the restaurant, inside the walk-in freezer and refrigerator. The service door at left was kept locked and was used strictly for deliveries, employees said. The service door on the east side was usually unlocked until the last employees left for the evening.

• Friday, 7 p.m. Employee Casey Sander. 17, pops in to pick up her paycheck. She tells everyone goodbye, and leaves.

• 9 p.m. The restaurant closes. Employees lock the customer entrances but not a rear service door.

• 9 p.m. to 3 a.m. Seven people are shot to death in restaurant.

• 2:30 a.m. Police begin investigating a missing-person report.

• 3 a.m. Officer pulls into restaurant parking lot, finds rear door unlocked. He calls for assistance.

• 3 to 3:30 a.m. Other officers arrive, they enter restaurant and find the seven bodies.

• 4 a.m. Evidence technicians from Palatine Police Department, Cook County Sheriff's Police and Northern Illinois Police Crime Laboratory begin combing scene.

• 5 a.m. Chaplain John Thompson, from Northwest Community Hospital arrives to counsel the two families already at the scene.

• 3 to 3:30 p.m. Elgin police pick up an Elgin man, Martin E. Blake, and hold him for questioning.

Source: Palatine police, restaurant employees