Former Lynn man arrested for burglary, attempted murder

LYNN-A Fall River man with Lynn ties was arraigned in court Thursday for allegedly breaking into a female acquaintance’s home as she slept before strangling her.Anthony T. Sanders, 22, of 297 Pine St., Fall River and formerly of 21 Whiting St., Lynn, was arrested on a warrant Wednesday and charged with burglary and assault with intent to murder. Police picked him up around 9 p.m. as he walked down Hanover Street.Police say that on Dec. 17, officers were called to Chatham Street to find a 22-year-old woman wearing no shoes in hysterics.The woman told police that Sanders, a friend of hers, had just climbed through her kitchen window at about 1:20 a.m. as she was sleeping.The victim said she was only a friend to Sanders and the two never had a dating relationship, though she thought he might be trying to start one, according to police. She said he would often help her with running errands and he offered to shovel out her front steps from a snowstorm earlier in the day, but she said she didn’t need his help, police said.However, she said that two days before the attack, Sanders allegedly called her phone and said, “I know where you live” then hung up, but the victim didn’t know what he meant by that.The victim called police a short time after she heard commotion in her kitchen, which awakened her.She recognized Sanders in her home and yelled, “What are you doing!?” according to police.Sanders allegedly ran at the victim and started chocking her by grabbing her around the neck while allegedly saying, “I told you not to (expletive) with me.”The victim said, “I can’t breathe, you’re hurting me,” according to police.Sanders allegedly threw her down on the bed before he paced back and forth saying, “God, forgive me for what I just did to her.”The victim then ran out the front door. She fled down Chatham Street toward Massachusetts Avenue and hid on a neighbor’s front porch where she called police on her cell phone.Police went back to the victim’s apartment but Sanders was gone. Police didn’t spot him until Wednesday night.Sanders was ordered held on $7,500 cash bail by Judge Michael Lauranzano during his arraignment Thursday in Lynn District Court. Sanders is due back in court Feb. 1 for a pre-trial hearing.