Women Who Made History Today

1879        Mar 2, Julia Martha Thomas (55), a wealthy widow, was killed by her housekeeper Kate Webster (29) very close to Park Road in well-to-do Richmond, England, but her head was never found. Webster was tried and executed, but Thomas’ head was never found until it was unearthed in October, 2010, by workmen building an extension at the home of David Attenborough, the face of BBC natural history programs for more than 50 years. In 2011 the skull was formally recognized as that of Julia Martha Thomas. 1975       Mar 2, Linda McCartney (1941-1998) was arrested in Los Angeles with possession of marijuana. 1977       Mar 2, Bette Davis (1908-1989) became the 1st woman to receive Life Achievement Award. 1987      Mar 2, Two sets of quintuplets were born on the same day in the USA as Rosalind Helms delivered a basketball team of bouncing babies in Peoria, IL and Robin Jenkins became the mother of five in Las Vegas, NV. 1989        Mar 2, Madonna’s “Like a Prayer” premiered on worldwide Pepsi commercial. 1989      Mar 2, Gloria Estefan (b.1957) and the Miami Sound Machine received the 1st star on the Latin Star Walk on CalleOcho, the main street of Little Havana in Miami, Fl. 1998       Mar 2, NataschaKampusch (10) vanished in Vienna, Austria, on her way to school, triggering a massive search that extended into neighboring Hungary. In 2006 Kampusch, who had been held captive in a cellar, managed to escape. Wolfgang Priklopil (44), her alleged abductor, committed suicide by jumping in front of a train. In 2007 Natascha’s mother, BrigittaSirny authored: “Desperate Years: My life Without Natascha.” In 2008 HerwigHaidinger, the former head of Austria’s Federal Criminal Investigations Bureau, accused authorities of ignoring a tip in April 1998 from a local policeman that pointed to Priklopil. He also alleged that Interior Ministry officials refused to look into that accusation once Kampusch reappeared, so to avoid a scandal before parliamentary elections that fall. 2005      Mar 2, The woman who accused NBA star Kobe Bryant of rape settled her lawsuit against him, ending the case. 2005        Mar 2, Queen Elizabeth II dubbed Bill Gates (49) an honorary noble. 2013      Mar 2, In Wyoming IldikoFreitas (40) and her parents were killed by two intruders at her home in Cody. Stephen Hammer (19) and Tanner Vanpelt (18) were soon arrested and charged with murder and robbery.