Man Charged With Murder After Killing Student Ignoring His Catcalls

A college student named Ruth George was recently killed after she ignored catcalls from a stranger.

Her attacker grew angry, according to the prosecutors, when she ignored his remarks and said she just wanted to get home.

As a sophomore honors student from Naperville, George had attended an event for her professional fraternity and taken an Uber back to the parking garage on the West Side to pick up the vehicle. She was planning to have a career physical therapy.

Donald Thurman followed Ruth as she entered a parking structure and placed her in a chokehold. The prosecution says the defendant was angry because the young lady was ignoring him.

Thurman choked her to death after sexually violating her on November 23. George was found dead at her vehicle. Thurman was arrested the next day and charged with first-degree murder and aggravated sexual assault.

Thurman has a criminal record considering he was released from prison the previous year after serving part of a six-year sentence for armed robbery. He is currently being held without bail pending a hearing on December 16.

During a court filing requesting Thurman to be denied bail, the prosecution claimed that Thurman admitted under the questioning of the murder and rape of the victim.

Prosecutors claim Thurman thought George was beautiful, but the victim ignored him. When he approached her, he unsuccessfully tried to talk to her where her car was parked.

He put her in a chokehold when he saw that his efforts were not bearing any fruition, and the two fell to the ground. That is when he placed George in the backseat of her vehicle. He sexually assaulted her before choking her to death.

George’s family claims she was the beloved baby of the family. They added they have no anger towards the perpetrator, though their hope is no other girl would be harmed in such a manner.
The university faculty described George as someone well-liked and an exceptional student.

Tracy Baynard, an associate professor of Kinesiology and nutrition, said "Ruthie" not only had the book smarts but was also a genuine person.

Thurman’s lawyer, a public defender, did not immediately return calls seeking comment. The defendant had previously been convicted of armed robbery and was released on parole in 2018.

The story elicited a lot of rage from the student community. Rachel Kwon, a junior, said she read about the killing that afternoon and remembered feeling the anger of having to deal with such a situation as a woman.