‘Fearless’ retired teacher, 93, was killed in Skyline Apartments, family says

Skyline Apartments, Syracuse

A Syracuse police car is parked outside Skyline Apartments on James Street on March 17, 2021 after police found a woman dead in her apartment. Police ruled the death a homicide.Patrick Lohmann | plohmann@syracuse.com

Syracuse, NY -- A 93-year-old woman found murdered inside Skyline Apartments Wednesday has been identified by family as Connie Tuori.

Tuori had lived in the James Street apartment for years and remained fiercely independent until her death, her niece and great-grand nephew told Syracuse.com | The Post-Standard.

“She was fearless,” her great grand-nephew, Patrick Leone said.

Read story: Inside Tim Green’s Skyline Apartments: Murder, drugs and filth. Tenants, cops say enough already

Tuori graduated Syracuse University with an Italian history degree in the 1950s, taught in schools both locally and nationally and, a lifelong bachelorette, loved to travel into old age, her niece, Patti Tuori, said.

Tuori was found dead in her apartment at 1:06 p.m. Wednesday after police were called to check on her. Syracuse police have not released details about the crime.

Syracuse Police Chief Kenton Buckner said at a news conference outside the building that police are very familiar with the apartment building, having responded to drugs, larceny, burglary, overdoses and assaults at the building.

“We continue to work with the management of this location,” he said. “Progress has been slow and we are very frustrated with the efforts of the management of this building.”

In August 2018, a sleeping elderly woman was attacked and raped in her apartment.

Local football legend Tim Green and his son, Troy, own and manage the 364-unit, 12-story building at 753 James St. They bought it in December 2016.

The building was the focus of a Syracuse.com | The Post-Standard article in August 2019, featuring tenants who complained about the deteriorating conditions of the building and said under the Greens’ watch it’s become a haven of drug use, violence and other criminal activity.

Staff writer Douglass Dowty can be reached at ddowty@syracuse.com or 315-470-6070.

Read more on Skyline:

Walsh says he’s exploring legal action against Skyline owners: ‘It’s public nuisance No. 1′

Woman killed at Skyline Apartments on James Street

Police, tenants push football legend Tim Green’s firm to fix nightmare apartments

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