Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn announces that 20-year-old Romaine Jirdon of Buffalo pleaded guilty before Erie County Court Judge Kenneth F. Case to one count of Murder in the Second Degree, a Class “A” violent felony. The defendant pleaded guilty to the highest charge in the indictment against him.

The defendant admitted that on November 17, 2017, at approximately 9:30 p.m., while acting in concert with Alexandria Heath, he intentionally caused the death of 58-year-old Thomas Heath by beating and stabbing him inside his West Ferry Street home.

Jirdon faces a maximum of 20 years to life in prison when he is sentenced on Friday, January 4, 2019 at 9:30 a.m. He remains remanded without bail.

The case against Jirdon’s girlfriend and co-defendant, 18-year-old Alexandria Heath of Buffalo, is pending. She is scheduled to return on Monday, December 17 at 9:30 a.m. for a pre-trial conference. She also remains remanded without bail.

DA Flynn commends the investigative work of Buffalo Police Homicide Detectives Christopher Sterlace, Terrence Supples, Scott Malec, Mark White and Detective Sgt. James Dunham.

Deputy District Attorney Joseph A. Agro and Assistant District Attorney Meghan E. Leydecker of the DA’s Special Victims Bureau are prosecuting the case.