Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn announces that 30-year-old Jeremy Wright of Buffalo has been sentenced by Erie County Court Judge Sheila A. DiTullio to an indeterminate sentence of 20 years to life in prison.

On November 3, 2017, at approximately 1:30 a.m., the defendant fatally shot 37-year-old Saleem Merukeb of Buffalo on Allen Street near Delaware Avenue in the City of Buffalo following an altercation.

In June 2018, Wright, a second felony offender, pleaded guilty to one count of Murder in the Second Degree. This is the highest charge for which he could have been convicted if the matter had gone to trial.

“Mr. Wright is a cold-blooded killer who went to his car, got a gun and then shot the victim multiple times in the back as he was running away,” said DA Flynn. “He is an individual who deserves to spend the rest of his life in prison.”

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

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Eugene T. Partridge III of the DA’s Homicide Bureau and Assistant District Attorney Danielle N. D’Abate of the DA’s Training/Special Projects Bureau.