Dec 2, 2006 6:47 pm US/Central
Man Charged With Murder Of Burger King Manager
Police Say Robbery The Apparent Motive
by Suzanne Le Mignot
WAUKEGAN, Ill. (CBS) ―
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James Ealy was denied bond Saturday.
CBS
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Mary Hutchison was found dead in the Lindenhurst Burger King restaurant she managed.
CBS
The man charged with murdering a Burger King manager is behind bars.
James Ealy, 42, of Lake Villa has been charged with first degree homicide Friday and a
Lake County judge denied Ealy bond Saturday. He is being held at the Lake County Jail, according to a jail spokeswoman.
Ealy is chraged with killing
Mary Hutchison, 45, of Trevor, Wis. CBS 2's Suzanne Le Mignot reports prosecutors say he strangled her with her uniform bowtie.
Hutchison was found dead November 27, lying next to an empty safe. Lake County State's Attorney Mike Waller said Ealy made incriminating statements about Hutchison's murder.
"The defendant, James Ealy, is a former employee of Burger King. He actually left in the last month or so and he left on good terms," Waller said.
Prosecutors allege Ealy went from his new job, at a Gurnee McDonald's, at 4 a.m. Monday to the Burger King Hutchison was managing. Ealy's cell phone records show he called the Burger King the morning of the murder.
"He was driving home, saw Mary Hutchison's car outside the Burger King," prosecutors said. "[He] made a decision to enter the Burger King and the motive for the crime was robbery."
About $1,000 was taken. A search of Ealy's home uncovered money allegedly stolen from the restaurant and blood stained clothes. The clothing will be tested for Hutchison's DNA.
Ealy was denied bond at a hearing at the Lake County Courthouse. He has a status hearing set for December 6.
In the meantime, Illinois Dept. of Corrections records show that he has been charged with violent crimes in the past, among them, rape, and use and possession of a firearm.
Ealy's family and attorneys could not be reached for comment.
(© MMVI, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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