Philadelphia Man Convicted of Frying-Pan Murder of Elderly Neighbor

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By Tony Hanson

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A Philadelphia jury today convicted a 20-year-old Germantown man of murdering his 68-year-old neighbor just over two years ago, when she came home while he was burglarizing her house.

Defendant Corey Conaway was convicted of the first-degree murder of Ellen Walton (right).  He was also convicted of robbery, burglary, and possession of an instrument of crime -- in this case, a frying pan.

"He took a frying pan and, after pushing her down the steps, struck her -- he admits three times, but the medical examiner testimony indicates many more times. Approximately 15 different injuries," says Philadelphia prosecutor Carolyn Naylor.

And then Conaway left the woman, in agony and bleeding, to die a slow death on the basement floor of her home.  She may have survived for a day or two while Conaway was joyriding in her stolen car.

The conviction carries an automatic life sentence.