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Riverhead Man Held In Beating Death Of 90-Year-Old Woman

RIVERHEAD, N.Y. (AP) -- A Long Island man is being held without bail in the beating death of his fiancée's 90-year-old grandmother.

Robert Waters entered a not guilty plea at his arraignment Wednesday in state Supreme Court in Riverhead. He is charged with murder in the June 21 death of Florence Troiani.

Prosecutors say Waters lived with his fiancée and Troiani in a Centereach home. They say the woman died of blunt force trauma and suffered a broken nose, jaw and fractured ribs.

Defense attorney Eric Naiburg said Waters had suffered seizures in the past and his office would investigate whether that had any connection to the killing.

Court documents say Waters told police: "Grandma's gone. There's nothing I can do about it. I'm responsible."

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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