Man Kills Teen After Spurned Proposal, Flees To Illinois: Reports

URBANA, IL — A Pennsylvania man wanted in the murder of a 19-year-old was apprehended at a Champaign County truck stop after allegedly breaking into a farmer's combine last week. Christopher R. Tucker, 34, is accused of snapping 19-year-old Tara Serino's neck after she rejected his marriage proposal. Police say he also strangled the teen, beat her with a hatchet and gouged her eyes out before wrapping her body in a rug and fleeing to Illinois.

Tucker reportedly asked Serino to marry him sometime between Monday and Tuesday at his Pennsylvania home. Police told NBC Philadelphia that Serino said no, telling Tucker she had been sleeping with other men. An enraged Tucker told police he snapped, choking Serino until he thought she was dead, according to NBC.

He allegedly wrapped her body in a rug and fled to Illinois, where he was arrested on Halloween at a Champaign County truck stop and taken to a hospital for evaluation.

Tara Serino's father reported her missing the next afternoon, according to The Morning Call. Police in Upper Macungie, where Serino lived, asked detectives in Illinois interview Tucker to find out where Serino was.

Tucker admitted to detectives that he strangled Serino, poked her eyes out, snapped her neck and hit her with a hatchet until he knew she was dead, The Morning Call reported. He also alleged used a 25-pound weight plate in the killing.

Pennsylvania state troopers found Serino's body while searching Tucker's home, according to NBC.

Tucker is charged with criminal homicide, first-degree murder and third-degree murder, along with two counts each of aggravated assault and possession of an instrument of crime.

Tucker was reportedly being extradited back to Pennsylvania.

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Image via Champaign County Sheriff's Office