Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn announces that 29-year-old Contrelle Hornsby of Buffalo was arraigned today before Buffalo City Court Judge Barbara Johnson-Lee on one count of Murder in the Second Degree (Class “A-I” felony).

It is alleged that on Sunday, February 27, 2022, at approximately 10:20 a.m., the defendant intentionally stabbed the victim inside of the NFTA Metro Rail Utica station on Main Street near East Utica Street in the City of Buffalo. The victim, 53-year-old Donnie Reese of Buffalo, was taken by ambulance to ECMC where he died from his injuries.

Hornsby is scheduled to return on Monday, March 7, 2022 at 2:00 p.m. for a felony hearing. He was held without bail.

If convicted of the charge, Hornsby faces a maximum sentence of 25 years to life in prison.

DA Flynn commends the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA) Transit Police for their work in this investigation.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Ashley M. Morgan of the Homicide Bureau. 

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