Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Fry pleads not guilty in Galesburg apartment murder

Tricia Nichol was found unresponsive in a Galesburg apartment on April 15.
A 49-year-old woman was found unresponsive in a Galesburg apartment on April 15.

A Monmouth man has pleaded not guilty to murdering his girlfriend in Galesburg.

Gerald L. Fry Jr., 56, was arrested June 4 and charged with the murder of Tricia Nichols, 49, who was found unresponsive in a Prairie Street apartment on April 15.

Fry entered his plea Wednesday morning in Knox County court and asked for a jury trial.

Nichols’ cause of death was manual strangulation and multiple blunt force traumatic injuries, according to Knox County Coroner Jacque Dare.

Fry remains in custody at the Knox County jail.

A pretrial conference is scheduled for Aug. 4.

Jane Carlson is TSPR's regional reporter.