Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn announces that a jury has found 41-year-old Jevon A. Gaiter of Buffalo, also known as “Animal,” guilty of one count of Murder in the Second Degree (Class “A-I” felony). The jury rendered their decision today after less than two hours of deliberations following a one-week trial, convicting the defendant of the only charge in the indictment against him.

On September 21, 2019, at approximately 1:00 a.m., the defendant intentionally stabbed the victim multiple times in the vicinity of Tonawanda and Vulcan Streets in the Town of Tonawanda.

The victim, 59-year-old Mark Bottita, collapsed outside of a nearby convenience store. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Gaiter faces a maximum of 25 years to life in prison when he is sentenced by Erie County Court Judge James Bargnesi on Wednesday, January 19, 2021 at 9:30 a.m. He continues to remain held without bail.

DA Flynn commends Det. Capt. Joseph Fennell, Det. Eric Schmidt, and Lt. Tom Moore of the Town of Tonawanda Police Department for their work in the investigation.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Ashley M. Morgan of the Homicide Bureau and Assistant District Attorney Samantha N. King of the Felony Trials Bureau.