Trial ordered for husband of woman found strangled in park

A Northeast Philadelphia man was ordered to stand trial Tuesday in the strangulation death of his wife, whose body was found this summer along the edge of Pennypack Park.

Christopher Murray sat through most of the 35-minute hearing with his head pointed downward, his hands covering his face.

Municipal Court Judge Teresa Carr Deni ordered him held on a charge of murder in the death of Constance Murray, 46. Her body was found Aug. 5 by a pedestrian at the edge of the park, near Holme Crispin Cemetery.

According to a statement read in court by Detective Howard Peterman, Christopher Murray, 48, answered yes when asked during an interrogation: "Did you choke her?"

Murray called police after his wife did not return from jogging about 9 p.m. He filed a missing persons report with police a short time later.

Four days later, Murray confessed after taking a polygraph test, police said.

Under questioning by Assistant District Attorney Joanne Pescatore, Peterman read a signed statement by Murray confessing to the killing.

"I am deeply, deeply sorry for what happened. I ruined many lives, the trust and loyalty of people," she quoted Murray as saying. "And I wish I had a time machine to go back. I wish I could just go home and bury my wife and say goodbye to my kids."

Peterman said Murray told him that he met his wife on a park bench and argued with her about text messages he received from a female friend.

The detective quoted Murray as saying, "She smacked me in the head a few times."

Pescatore noted that Constance Murray had only one complete arm. A birth defect left her with the other arm ending at the elbow.

Pescatore said a medical examiner's report indicated that in addition to being strangled, Constance Murray also suffered "blunt impact injuries to the extremities and torso."

"He choked her. He strangled her. It's our belief that he left her body there and staged it to appear as if it wasn't what it was," Pescatore said.

The prosecutor noted that in his statement to police Murray said he destroyed his wife's cellphone and scattered the pieces.

"He took the evidence and discarded it and made up a series of lies after that, including calling the police to report her missing a few hours later."

Defense attorney Andrea Konow had asked the judge to consider a charge of third-degree murder.

"I don't think you have enough evidence for first-degree murder," Konow said.