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Man Charged with Murdering His Girlfriend on the South Side

By DNAinfo Staff on October 31, 2012 5:43pm  | Updated on October 31, 2012 6:39pm

 Ronald James, 41, was charged with the Sept. 13 murder of his girlfriend, Katrina Rogers, in Bronzeville.
Ronald James, 41, was charged with the Sept. 13 murder of his girlfriend, Katrina Rogers, in Bronzeville.
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Chicago Police Department

CHICAGO — A 41-year-old South Side man was charged on Tuesday with the September murder of his girlfriend in Bronzeville, police said. 

Ronald James was charged with beating his 39-year-old girlfriend to death in the 500 block of South Prairie Avenue, police said.

Authorities were called to the Bronzeville residence the morning of Sept. 13 and found James' girlfriend, Katrina Rogers, unresponsive and partially clothed at the bottom of a stairway leading to the basement, prosecutors said at a Wednesday morning bond hearing.

James was taken into custody the same day but not initially charged with Rogers' murder.

Witnesses said they had seen the couple at a bus stop at East 51st Street and South Calumet Avenue between 1:30 a.m. and 2 a.m. arguing about a bus pass, prosecutors said.

The witnesses reported James then grabbed Rogers by the arm and dragged her into their residence on the 500 block of South Prairie Avenue, prosecutors said. 

At about 9 a.m., James called police to the home, where authorities found Rogers.

Rogers had a broken neck, left leg and arm, and cuts along her body. She was pronounced dead at University of Chicago Hospital.

James allegedly gave authorities several conflicting statements.

He first said the couple had been victims of an attack and had gone back into the house for help, prosecutors said.

James later admitted he "got into it" with Rogers, prosecutors said.

James has a history of felonies, including drug charges and violent crimes and has had gang affiliation, according to cops and prosecutors.

James was ordered held on $2 million bond.