Man pleads innocent to burglary

By Ed Runyan

WARREN — Steve DeFoor, the city man who allegedly broke into the home of an elderly woman and her brother twice Feb. 18 and got shot the second time, has pleaded innocent to charges of aggravated burglary and burglary.

DeFoor, 49, of Hayes Avenue Southwest, returns to Warren Municipal Court at 1:30 p.m. today for a preliminary hearing on the matter.

But it’s not the only time he’s been there recently.

Warren police charged DeFoor with burglary in June for allegedly breaking into his neighbor’s apartment on Hayes Avenue on June 6, 2008.

He appeared in Trumbull County Common Pleas Court Wednesday for a hearing in that case, which started out in Warren Municipal Court.

Kurfward Hutton, 68, told police he was staying with his disabled sister on Wallace Street Southeast on Feb. 18 when DeFoor broke into the house about 8:45 p.m. and demanded money while holding a 12-inch knife. Hutton said he knew DeFoor by name.

Hutton said he fired a pistol at DeFoor but missed, and DeFoor fled. Hutton called police, who investigated the incident but did not locate DeFoor.

At about 10:30 p.m., DeFoor broke in again, Hutton told police.

This time, Hutton fired twice, hitting DeFoor both times, and DeFoor left the residence again, this time badly injured.

DeFoor made it to a home on Wick Street Southeast not far away, went inside uninvited and was later taken by ambulance to Forum Health Trumbull Memorial Hospital, police said.

Police said Hutton probably would not be charged, but the investigation was continuing.

When DeFoor was released from the hospital late last week, police took him into custody, and he was arraigned in Warren Municipal Court.

Jeff Hoolihan, a Warren police detective, said the aggravated burglary charge relates to DeFoor allegedly breaking into the Wallace Street home, and the burglary charge relates to DeFoor allegedly breaking into the Wick Street residence.

If convicted of aggravated burglary, DeFoor faces up to 10 years in prison. The penalty for burglary is up to 18 months in prison.