Donald Thurman, a 26-year-old man in Chicago, has been arrested and charged with the strangulation death of 19-year-old University of Illinois at Chicago student Ruth George. Thurman turned himself into authorities after knowing that his DNA would be “all over the scene.”
Thurman reportedly became angered when George ignored his catcalls and advances.
After becoming enraged, Thurman followed George to the parking lot where he assaulted and killed her. He has been charged with first-degree murder and criminal sexual assault.
“The defendant was angry that he was being ignored. The defendant came up behind the victim, grabbed her around the neck from behind, and put her into a chokehold,” said Cook County Asst. State’s Attorney James Murphy, according to ABC 7 Chicago. “With his arms still wrapped around the victim’s neck the defendant dragged the victim from the ground and he opened her back seat car door.”
From the report:
George’s family had reported her missing mere minutes before she was found dead by university police. Her last known sighting was at 1.30am Saturday morning, when she was seen going into the campus parking garage. Police were first called to the scene in the University Village neighborhood around 11am on Saturday after reports of an unconscious person in the back seat of a car. Emergency staff tried to resuscitate the university student, but she was already dead.
Thurman had been on parole after an armed robbery charge.
“It is very difficult to find words that can express the sadness our entire community experiences today,” University Chancellor Michael Amiridis said in a statement. “We offer our sincere condolences to the student’s family and friends and I know that all of us have them in our hearts as they struggle with this devastating loss.”
Our deepest condolences go out to George’s family and friends during this incredibly difficult and tragic time.
