Ruth George case: Bail denied for man charged in murder of UIC student

CHICAGO (WGN) -- Bail has been denied for the man charged in the murder of a 19-year-old University of Illinois at Chicago student.

Donald Thurman, 26, is charged with first-degree murder and sexual assault in the death of Ruth George, who was found dead Saturday in a parking garage on the UIC campus. Judge Charles Beach II ordered Thurman held without bail Tuesday.

Prosecutors said Thurman thought George was pretty and attempted to talk to her, but she ignored him. He admitted to choking and sexually assaulting George because he “was angry that he was being ignored.”

According to the Cook County Medical Examiner, George was strangled to death.

UIC police found her unresponsive in the backseat of her vehicle that was parked inside the campus garage around 1:35 a.m. Saturday.

Detectives said they used security cameras to track Thurman's path to the Blue Line after the murder.