Acting Erie County District Attorney Michael J. Flaherty, Jr. announces that 25-year-old Luis Olivera-Arvelo a/k/a ‘Chino’ of 572 Niagara Street, Buffalo has pleaded guilty to Manslaughter in the First Degree before State Supreme Court Justice Christopher Burns.

On September 1, 2015, Olivera-Arvelo shot to death 29-year-old Juan Santiago inside of a barber shop located at 577 Niagara Street, Buffalo. Ten minutes before the shooting, the victim had allegedly threatened the defendant with a machete and the shooting appears to have been in retaliation. 

Olivera-Arvelo faces a maximum of 25 years in prison when he is sentenced by Justice Burns on May 2, 2016 at 9:30 a.m. 

Acting DA Flaherty commends the outstanding investigative work of Buffalo Police Department Detectives Joy Jermain and Scott Malec of the Homicide Squad. 

Senior Litigation Counsel Thomas Finnerty and Assistant District Attorney Meghan Leydecker prosecuted the case.