1979 murder suspect arrested in Chicago

A man who fled murder charges in 1979 was arrested Friday at Chicago's O'Hare Airport and held without bail after spending 34 years on the run.

Ata Yousef El Ammouri, 65, owned a convenience store on Chicago's south side neighborhood of Woodlawn when he was arrested and charged with the murder of Joe Harris, 31, on July 22, 1979.

El Ammouri allegedly shot Harris after Harris stole a can of beer from the store, a release from the Cook County Sheriff's Office said. He posted $100,000 bail and was named a fugitive after he failed to appear in court in November 1979.

Authorities caught up with El Ammouri at O'Hare when he flew in from Jordan, where he had been living, to attend a graduation.

Cook County officials said the investigation involved collaboration from a number of state and law enforcement agencies, including the Department of State Diplomatic Security Service.