Husband charged with wife's killing in Pennypack Park; funeral today

NORTHEAST PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Funeral services were held Monday for 46-year-old Connie Murray, one day after her husband was charged with her murder.

A viewing for Murray was held at 9 a.m. Monday at the John F. Givnish Funeral Home on Academy Road in Northeast Philadelphia, followed by the funeral at 11:00 a.m.

Murray was found strangled in Pennypack Park on Tuesday August 5th.

On Sunday, five days later, Philadelphia Police announced that 48-year-old Christopher Murray had confessed to killing her.

"Obviously, there is no celebration in this case. But perhaps the people that play and exercise in Pennypack Park can have a sigh of relief that there is not a predator lurking in the area," said Philadelphia Police Lt. Philip Riehl on Sunday.

Riehl said police brought Christopher Murray in for questioning on Saturday night.

State Police Trooper David Lang administered a lie detector test, which police say Murray failed.

He was then questioned by detectives, and that's when police say he confessed.

Riehl said from the beginning, parts of the husband's story didn't add up.

"Reality was, he became a suspect early on and remained a suspect until he confessed," Riehl said.

The Murrays have two daughters, ages 12 and 15.

According to authorities, it was 9:00 p.m. on Monday August 4th when Connie Murray took her cellphone and headphones and went for a walk around Pennypack Park.

Police say they recovered video of an encounter between Connie and Christopher on Willets Road soon after.

The video shows Christopher pulling his car up to Connie where she was walking. In the video, Connie sticks her head into the car, says something, and walks away. Christopher then drives away.

Police say they recovered the vehicle in the video, a silver Ford Taurus, which is the main car Christopher Murray drives.

Riehl said Connie and Christopher then met by two park benches, where Connie's body would later be found, to discuss a domestic dispute.

"We believe she went up there voluntarily to talk to him about whatever was going on, perhaps away from the children, and things went bad," Riehl said.

Police say the attack occurred between 9:30 p.m. and 9:45 p.m.

Connie Murray's body was found around 6:00 a.m. Tuesday at Holme and Convent Avenues near the Crispin Recreation Center by a woman walking her dog.

Earlier, authorities say they recovered DNA, but did not say where or whom it came from.

According to police, Murray's cellphone had been turned off and went missing. It was recovered Saturday night in a sewer at Solly and Lexington avenues.

A total of $51,000 in reward money, from various departments, was being offered in connection with the murder. Police have not said if anyone will receive any type of reward.