Girl's Murder Suspect Was With Woman Before Her Death: Schaumburg PD

SCHAUMBURG, IL — A Blue Island man accused of killing a 10-year-old Rockford girl last weekend was with a Schaumburg woman prior to her body being discovered July 5 in a local hotel room, according to police.

Natalie Negray, 24, was found dead in the 1200 block of Bank Drive. The manner of her death is still under review by the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office. Services were held Monday for the Streator native, according to her obituary.

Police said Tuesday "evidence suggests" Antonio Monroe, 44, was with Negray prior to her death. Monroe is a registered sex offender.

Monroe is facing charges of first-degree murder, attempted murder, two counts of kidnapping, and aggravated battery and strangulation following an incident Saturday in Rockford. Officers responded shortly after noon when a woman told police her 6-year-old daughter came home and said a man took her 10-year-old sister, according to Rockford police. About 30 minutes later, police were flagged down by a person who found an unresponsive girl outside a home in the 1200 block of 9th Avenue.

RELATED: Blue Island Man Killed 10-Year-Old Girl In Rockford: Police

Rockford firefighters administered CPR before taking the girl to a local hospital, where she was later pronounced dead.

Authorities established a perimeter and an officer with a K-9 found Monroe, who matched the suspect description, near 9th Street and Woodruff Avenue, police said. Monroe was taken into custody after a brief struggle. He was then taken to an area hospital for an unrelated issue before being released to the Winnebago County Jail.

Though police are not connecting the two cases at this time, Schaumburg police said they are working with the Rockford Police Department on the continuing investigation.

Bail for Monroe, who is currently being held at the Winnebago County Jail, has been set at $5 million. Monroe has a prior conviction for criminal sexual assault with force in Peoria County, according to the Illinois State Police sex offender registry.