Ex-Sailor Charged in N. Chicago Slaying

A former sailor was charged Wednesday with the murder of a21-year-old North Chicago college student after detectives trackedher family's stolen auto to the suspect's mother's home in Georgia.

Mario Tennison, 23, of Zion, admitted strangling acquaintanceAnna Beverly with a telephone cord in her home Monday, said NorthChicago Police Chief Ernest Fisher.

Beverly was found by her father, Andy J. Beverly, when hereturned home from work. He said Wednesday that his daughter metTennison at a U-Haul Co. facility in Waukegan when she inquired aboutrenting a truck to return for her senior year at Northern IllinoisUniversity.

"He had stopped by our house a couple of times" and met othermembers of the family, the father said. Family members thoughtTennison, who was discharged from the Navy in June, was still in theNavy, the father added.

Detectives said Tennison was married, but he apparently didn'ttell Beverly or her family that. Beverly and Tennison had not beendating, detectives said.

Beverly's body was fully clothed and she had not been sexuallyassaulted, police said. There was no sign of forced entry to herhome. Detectives said they were still seeking a motive.

Although her family's auto and personal property were stolen,detectives said they were unsure if the thefts occurred after thekilling.

Lake County State's Attorney Michael J. Waller said Tennison wascharged in a warrant that set bond at $750,000. He is expected towaive extradition at a hearing today in Decatur, Ga., and then bereturned to North Chicago.

Waller praised North Chicago police for conducting "a very goodinvestigation. They followed up on the leads they had."

North Chicago detective Lt. Walter Holderbaum and DetectiveCurtis Brame flew to Georgia Wednesday after Lithonia, Ga., policearrested Tennison at the home of his mother.

Holderbaum said detectives zeroed in on Tennison when they"couldn't account for" him after compiling a list of the victim'sacquaintances.

The Beverly family's 1993 Chevrolet Caprice was also missing,and when police determined Tennison's mother lived in Georgia, theyasked Lithonia police to check to see if the car was at her home,Holderbaum said.

When officers arrived and spotted the car, Tennison ran from thehouse but failed to escape. Tennison has no known criminal record.