Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn announces that 30-year-old Frank Bredt of Buffalo has been arraigned at ECMC by State Supreme Court Justice John L. Michalski on two counts of Murder in the Second Degree.

It is alleged that on January 11, 2018 at approximately 3:30 a.m., Buffalo Police and Buffalo Fire were called to a house fire on Manhattan Avenue. The body of 28-year-old Elisabeth Bell was discovered on the second floor of the home where the fire began. It is alleged that the defendant started a fire that fatally burned the victim.

Bredt was remanded without bail. He is scheduled to return on May 31 at 9:30 a.m.

If convicted on all charges, Bredt faces up to 25 years to life in prison.

DA Flynn commends the thorough investigative work of Detective John Paradowski of the Buffalo Police Homicide Unit and Buffalo Fire Marshal Paul Simonian.

Assistant District Attorneys Christine Garvey of the DA’s Homicide Bureau and Nathanael C. Kapperman of the DA’s Felony Trials Bureau are prosecuting the case.

As are all persons accused of a crime, the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.