Woman killed by crossbow in western NY, and her boyfriend is charged with murder

ELMA, N.Y. — A 61-year-old New York man was charged with murder on Friday for shooting his girlfriend to death with a crossbow, authorities said.

Frank Litterio allegedly shot his girlfriend with a crossbow inside their home in the western New York town of Elma on Wednesday, Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn said in a news release.

Sheriff's deputies responded to the house at about 5 p.m. Wednesday and found the victim, 62-year-old Jill Harris, dead from a crossbow wound, Flynn said.

The deputies found Litterio suffering from a self-inflicted wound, the authorities said. Litterio's wound was apparently from a different weapon, not the crossbow, they said.

Litterio was taken to the Erie County Medical Center, where he was arraigned Friday on a charge of second-degree murder, the district attorney said.

Litterio's attorney, Herb Greenman, declined to comment.