Man charged with strangling wife in suburban home

James A. Ruman | Lake County sheriff's office

A man has been charged with killing his wife Monday morning at their north suburban Round Lake home.

James A. Ruman, 52, was charged with first degree murder for the death of his wife, 47-year-old Despina Ruman, according to a statement from the Lake County sheriff’s office. He is accused of strangling his wife and then waiting “a significant amount of time before contacting authorities.”

Deputies were dispatched at 3:25 a.m. to assist an ambulance that had been called to the home in the 34100 block of North Broomsedge Road in Round Lake, the sheriff’s office said. They found Despina Ruman inside with “suspicious injuries to her body.”

The Lake County coroner’s office found Despina Ruman died from multiple injuries caused by an assault.

James Ruman was arrested at the scene and has remained in custody since, the sheriff’s office said. He was expected to appear in court for an initial hearing on Wednesday.