Estranged husband, friend charged in 2005 murder of Cicero woman

Bond was denied Saturday for James Murry, 35, who was charged with first-degree murder in the 2005 death of his wife, Nayely Murry. His friend, Travon D. McDonald, 29, of Hickory Hills, also was arrested and charged with first-degree murder for his alleged assistance in killing Nayely Murry, according to a joint news release from the Cook County State's Attorney's Office and Cicero police detectives.

Nayely had an order of protection against her husband and was in the process of divorcing him when he allegedly lured her to his Countryside apartment on Aug. 7, 2005, by telling her that their 3-year-old son was sick.

James Murry and McDonald allegedly then attacked and suffocated Nayely after she arrived.

Nayely had been living with relatives in Cicero at the time of her murder. Her family reported her missing the following day.

Three days after her death, Nayely Murry's body was discovered in south suburban Robbins in the trunk of a car that McDonald and her estranged husband allegedly had attempted to set on fire. The cause of her death was suffocation.

James Murry and McDonald had been questioned during the initial murder investigation but were not charged at that time. McDonald was released last week on parole from an Illinois prison after being incarcerated on a conviction of failing to report an accident causing injury or death and aggravated battery in April, according to media reports.

Nayely Murry's case was reopened this fall after new information had developed, police said.

"This is a tragic case involving the senseless murder of a victim of domestic violence," Cook County State's Attorney Anita Alvarez said in a news release. "It has taken longer than any of us would have liked, but working together we never gave up seeking justice for Nayely Murry and we hope that these charges bring some measure of relief and comfort for her family."

James Murry was extradited from where he had been living in Toledo, Ohio, to appear in bond court. The Toledo Police Department assisted in the arrest.