Police: Auburn man broke into home twice to try to kill woman

An Auburn man is facing several criminal charges after allegedly breaking into a woman's home twice and injuring her.

Auburn Police Department Capt. Kyle Platt told The Citizen that a woman in her 90s reported that on Nov. 1, Steven J. Walsh, 65, broke into her home on Mary Street, attacking her and telling her he wanted to smother her. Walsh then sat on the woman's head, pushed her around the living room and left her head hanging over the arm of a chair.

Walsh returned to the home a few hours later at about 1 a.m., Platt said, attacking the woman while she was in bed and saying he wanted to kill her. He hit her several times and sat on her head again, causing her to black out. Walsh also allegedly damaged a cellphone in the home.

The woman reported the incident to police later that day. She was transported to Auburn Community Hospital before being taken to Upstate University Hospital in Syracuse for serious injuries. As of Tuesday she was still there, Platt said.

Police secured an arrest warrant from Auburn City Court Judge David Thurston on Monday. Based on information from Auburn police, the Camillus Police Department arrested Walsh in Camillus that day.

Walsh was charged with first-degree burglary (a Class B felony), second-degree assault (a Class D felony), aggravated criminal contempt and second-degree strangulation (also Class D felonies) and criminal mischief (a misdemeanor). He was transported to Auburn City Court for arraignment and remanded to the Cayuga County Jail.

Staff writer Kelly Rocheleau can be reached at (315) 282-2243 or . Love Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email.

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