Denied bail for man accused of trying to murder woman in unprovoked attack in McHenry Park

A judge denied pretrial release for a suspect charged with attempted murder in a brutal and unprovoked attack that seriously injured a woman and also a good Samaritan in a McHenry park.

McHenry police responded to Petersen Park, 4300 Petersen Park Road in McHenry, at approximately 3:26 p.m. Sunday for a report of a disturbance.

A preliminary investigation revealed that Raymond P. Link, 47, of West Allis, Wisconsin, had been at the park with his released dog.

Police officers said Link suddenly physically attacked a 59-year-old woman who was also walking her dog in the park.

“The attack was unprovoked and there appeared to be no connection between Link and the victim,” law enforcement officials said.

A criminal complaint filed in McHenry County District Court says Link kicked, kicked and punched the woman in the head and neck.

The complaint said he used his entire body weight to place both knees on her head and neck and attempted to strangle the victim with his “forearm and/or hands.”

The complaint says Link attempted to strangle the woman while she “lay unconscious and unresponsive on the floor.”

The attack resulted in avulsion to the victim’s left ear, a fracture to her left eyeball, multiple significant lacerations, and an extensive open fracture to her facial bones. She also suffered several dog bites.

A 37-year-old man, who knew neither Link nor the victim, intervened and was also attacked by Link, police officials said.

The complaint says Link punched the man more than 12 times in the chest and arms and ordered his dog to attack.

The man suffered a broken collarbone, bruises, redness and a dog bite.

The female victim was transported by ambulance to Northwestern Medicine Hospital in McHenry and then flown by LifeNet medical helicopter to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville.

The woman was still alive on Tuesday morning and remains in hospital.

The male victim was transported by ambulance to Northwestern Medicine Hospital in McHenry.

Link’s dog, who had fled the area, was later found and taken into the care of McHenry County Animal Control.

Officers arrested Link at the scene and took him to the McHenry County Jail.

He was charged with attempted murder, two counts of aggravated assault, two counts of aggravated assault by strangulation and two counts of aggravated assault in a public place.

The McHenry County District Attorney’s Office filed a motion to detain Link pending trial, calling him a real and present threat to the community.

An initial hearing was held Monday and McHenry County Judge Michael Chmiel granted the petition.

The judge called the attack a “horrific incident” and said he could not imagine “a set of pretrial conditions that could be created to reduce the risk of harm posed by the defendant to the community.”

Chmiel also found Link to be in contempt of court. ABC7 Chicago reported that Link repeatedly interrupted and swore at the judge during the hearing, causing a delay.

Prosecutors said Link told police he attacked the female victim because she was “an angel of death,” ABC7 reported. Prosecutors said the woman would have died had the Good Samaritan not intervened.