A 61-year-old man from Elma, western New York, is facing charges for allegedly killing his girlfriend with a crossbow in their shared residence. Frank J. Litterio is accused of shooting Jill Harris, 62, multiple times with the ancient weapon on December 13, before attempting suicide, according to the Erie County District Attorney’s Office.
The autopsy report revealed that Harris was hit by arrows three times – in the abdomen, face, and chest, as stated by Erie County Undersheriff Bill Cooley during a recent press briefing. The crossbow, which had to be loaded one arrow at a time, underscored the calculated and cruel nature of the domestic homicide, Cooley added.
Cooley further emphasized the deliberate nature of the act, considering the process involved in loading and firing a crossbow. Litterio was formally charged with second-degree murder from a hospital where he was receiving treatment for self-inflicted injuries. These included a cut to his neck, multiple puncture wounds to his chest, and injuries to one of his wrists, according to officials.
Litterio was detained without bail, with his next hearing scheduled for January 29, 2024. If found guilty, he could face a prison sentence ranging from 25 years to life.
This incident follows another case from earlier this year, where another man from upstate New York was accused of killing his newborn child and injuring his wife with a crossbow.