Donald Thurman, the Chicago man accused of sexually assaulting and strangling a 19-year-old woman, was reportedly angry because she ignored his catcalls.
The 26-year-old man allegedly followed Ruth George, who was a sophomore at the University Of Illinois-Chicago, into a parking garage on Saturday night, NBC Chicago reports.
Thurman allegedly tried talking to George as she walked to her car in the campus parking garage, but the student ignored his comments. Prosecutors said he was angry that he was being ignored, so he came behind the 19-year-old student and put her in a chokehold.
The alleged murderer reportedly dragged the student to the back seat of her car, raped her and left a condom in the car. Police found the woman’s body in the car a day later after the family reported her missing. A surveillance camera showed Thurman running from the parking garage wearing a "distinguishable white jacket," which police later found at his home.
Police said the 26-year-old man confessed to choking George and sexually assaulting her after he was arrested. He is charged with first-degree murder and sexual assault.
"She was the beloved baby of our family," George's family said in a statement. "We grieve with hope. We hold no hatred towards the perpetrator, but our hope is no other girl would be harmed in this way and for a mother to never experience this type of heartache."
UIC also released a statement, saying George was a member of the Honors College and a talented kinesiology student with dreams and aspirations to become a health professional and help others.
“The traumatic loss of life of one of our community members is very difficult to comprehend and surely invokes a range of emotions for all of us,” Chancellor Michael D. Amiridis said. “The safety and well-being of everyone at UIC is our foremost concern. I encourage you to continue to take advantage of the prevention tools and resources available on campus and to remain vigilant while you are both on and off campus.”
Police said Thurman has no connection to UIC and did not know George, according to ABC 7 Chicago.