Grand jury levies murder charge against woman accused in deadly April 2021 robbery

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WHEC) — A Monroe County Grand Jury has upgraded the charges against one of the defendants in an April 2021 robbery where the victim died from her injuries.

Police say Jennifer Shea is now formally charged, indicted and arraigned on a second degree murder charge, as well as first degree burglary and first degree robbery.

The other defendant, Christopher Pate, is still in custody on charges of first degree burglary, second degree robbery and second degree assault.

The incident happened back on April 7, 2021, at a hotel on Mt. Read Boulevard. Police say 51-year-old Alicia Saladyga was assaulted and robbed in her hotel room. At the time, she was hospitalized, but her condition worsened and she succumbed to her injuries on April 22, 2021.

Police say that when the April robbery happened, Shea and Pate were both out of custody on an assault arrest stemming from an incident that happened on Oct. 4, 2020, when they assaulted a man using a razor blade and hammer. After that arrest, police say Pate was released on no bail and Shea later on a $5,000 bond. Pate has pleaded not guilty to those charges.

Pate and Shea were taken into custody on May 6, 2021.

Former Rochester Police Officer Michael Sippel was convicted of misdemeanor assault and was sentenced to three years probation for hitting Pate in the face during a 2018 arrest, causing a facial fracture.