A man from Calumet City is facing charges, including first-degree murder, after a woman was shot and killed amid an attempt to stop a fight on a party bus in Fuller Park, police reported. Demar King, 35, was arrested following the incident that claimed the life of 40-year-old Odeal G. Curley early Saturday morning. According to the Chicago Sun-Times, King also received charges for aggravated fleeing and property damage over $300, alongside various misdemeanors and traffic citations.
The confrontation began shortly after midnight on the rented bus, with King reportedly arguing with his girlfriend and her friend. As the dispute escalated, it spilled out onto the 5400 block of South Shields Avenue. Curley attempted to "calm the situation," but was allegedly shot by King in the leg. She was transported to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where she was later pronounced dead. The Cook County medical examiner's office reported her cause of death as a gunshot wound to the thigh. WGN-TV added that four 9-millimeter casings were found at the scene.
Following the shooting, King and his girlfriend initially fled the scene in a Chevy Traverse. However, after several hours, King was apprehended by the police while attempting to elude them in the 2000 block of South Union Avenue. His capture was aided by the Illinois State Police and was eventually booked on multiple charges. He was scheduled to appear for a detention hearing at the Leighton Criminal Court Building.
Curley, who was getting off the bus when the shooting occurred, received immediate medical attention at the scene before being taken to the hospital. Her death was subsequently ruled a homicide. As this case unfolds, the legal process will resume with King's court appearance, where he will face the charges leveled against him.
