Naperville man killed by roommate after sex, prosecutor says
Within eight hours of moving into Charles Clark's Naperville townhouse, Grant Muren had “intimate relations” with his new roommate, then a fight that led to Clark's murder, authorities said Saturday.
A DuPage County judge set bond at $2 million Saturday for Muren, 21, who is facing charges of first-degree murder and concealment of a homicide.
Muren found Clark, 55, through a Craigslist roommate listing, assistant state's attorney Tim Diamond said.
Diamond said there were signs of “extreme struggle” and severe trauma to Clark's neck. Muren struck Clark over the head with a small table, authorities said.
“The primary cause of death was strangulation,” Diamond said.
Clark was a self-employed computer specialist. His body was found Wednesday morning when his girlfriend went to his home on the 1100 block of Vail Court in the city's Estes Park neighborhood after not hearing from him for a couple of days, Diamond said.
Upon entering the home, authorities smelled natural gas and found the burners on and the oven doors left open. Muren had tried to blow up the house by turning on the gas oven and stuffing lease papers into a toaster to ignite the fumes, “Bourne Identity” style, Diamond said.
Police also found lease papers and blood-soaked Lysol wipes inside the oven. Clark's body was in the upstairs bedroom, Diamond said.
Naperville police arrested Muren Thursday after a traffic stop.
Defense attorney Phil Nathe tried to get Muren's bond reduced, saying Muren was a high school graduate, had held some part-time jobs, and had the support of his family.
Muren lived with his mother in California but has had multiple residences in years past, Diamond said.
A Kane County judge had issued an order of protection against Muren last July after an issue arose with a former roommate in Kane County whom he also found through Craigslist, Diamond said.
Diamond added that Muren had a number of prior offenses on his record, including domestic battery, burglary and criminal damage to property. He served time for those offenses committed as a juvenile, Diamond said.
DuPage County Judge Alex McGimpsey ordered home confinement for Muren with a GPS tracking monitor if he is able to post 10 percent of the $2 million bond. McGimpsey also ordered Muren to surrender any firearms, ammunition and Firearm Owners Identification card, as well as his passport to Naperville police.
Muren's next court date is 9 a.m. Feb. 24 for arraignment in front of Judge Kathryn Creswell at the DuPage County courthouse.