URBANA — An Urbana attorney will represent a Champaign man accused of the murder of a Danville woman.
George Harold Chapman, 43, whose last known address was in the 2100 block of West White Street, was returned to the county jail in Urbana late Tuesday night. He had been arrested in South Carolina last month.
He was arraigned in Champaign County Wednesday on charges of first-degree murder alleging that on Sept. 27 he suffocated or strangled Angelica M. Vasquez, 43, of Danville.
Her body was found along Rising Road just north of Bradley Avenue in west Champaign that morning. Police said her hands were bound and her body set on fire after her death in an apparent attempt to destroy evidence.
Urbana attorney Tom Bruno entered his appearance for Chapman and Judge Tom Difanis left Chapman's bond at the $1 million that had been set on the warrant issued Nov. 10. He told Chapman to be back in court Dec. 15.
U.S. Marshals found Chapman Nov. 17 in Pomaria, S.C. Bruno said Chapman has relatives in North and South Carolina. Champaign County sheriff's deputies then went there to interview him and came back with information to suggest that the killing may have occurred in Vermilion County and that Mrs. Vasquez's body was dumped in Champaign.
Vermilion County State's Attorney Randy Brinegar said he's still working with the Champaign County authorities to determine which county has jurisdiction.
"If it's clear to us that the murder took place in Vermilion County, then clearly we would have jurisdiction," he said.
If convicted, Chapman faces 20 to 60 years in prison.
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