Police arrest suspects in two area crimes

Police have charged suspects in two different crimes, the murder of an elderly Hyde Park woman in 1994 and the sexual assault last year of a University staff member.

Demetrius Cunningham, 16, of East Chicago, Ind., has been arrested for the Nov. 23, 1994, murder of 80-year-old Elsie Orlinsky. Cunningham, who was a 15-year-old student at Mt. Carmel High School at the time, is accused of abducting Orlinsky as she was getting into her car near 55th Street and Lake Park Avenue.

As of press time, Cunningham was being held at the Lake County, Ind., jail on a warrant while awaiting extradition to Chicago.

Police also arrested Jeffery Pendleton, 34, of the 8900 block of South Clyde, for the criminal sexual assault of a University staff member on May 30, 1995. Pendleton was charged on Dec. 21 at Cook County Jail, where he was awaiting trial on robbery charges.

According to police, the victim was walking from her car in the 5700 block of Dorchester at 11:30 p.m. May 30, when she was accosted by a man, who criminally sexually assaulted her in her car. He then took her automated-teller bank card and was attempting to use it when she escaped. Her car was later found near 54th Street and Dorchester Avenue.

A court date of Jan. 3 was set for Pendleton, who was being held on $150,000 bond.