PD: Man With Portland Convictions Beat Woman so Badly She Feared for Life

This article written by Cassandra Day.

A homeless man with a record of convictions for violent crimes severely beat and suffocated a woman after smoking synthetic marijuana and drinking alcohol, according to Middletown Police.

On June 16 at 5:47 p.m., police were called to an apartment on High Street about a domestic violent incident. The report says a woman holding a rag to her face, which was bleeding and had soaked her shirt, said Steven B. Ellam, 22, of no certain address, was in the house and had broken her nose. 

The report says Ellam told her to come into the spare bedroom earlier, then said, "you have sinned and now you have to repent, you are going to die," then punched her in the face and knocked her to the ground, continuing to punch her so hard her head bounced off the wooden floor. 

The report says Ellam left the room then returned to kick her vigorously, then place two plastic grocery bags over her head as she feared for her life. Police say he had been drinking alcohol and smoking synthetic marijuana and choked her with the bag over her head so she feigned unconsciousness and when he left the room called 911. 

When police arrived, he said, "I surrender, come and get me." He was charged with interfering with an officer, disorderly conduct, interfering with an emergency call, second-degree assault, second-degree reckless endangerment, second-degree strangulation, first-degree unlawful restraint. 

On May 28, Ellam crashed his car into the front yard of a home on River Road and was charged with violation of probation, traveling too fast for conditions, evading responsibility, distracted driving and operating a motor vehicle without a license. 

He has a long record of convictions according to the Connecticut Judicial Branch website, from Middletown, Norwalk and Portland, including several third-degree assaults, multiple interfering with an officer, several violations of probation, DUI and criminal mischief stemming as far back as 2009.