Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn announces that 51-year-old Mario Turner, Sr. of Town of Tonawanda has been arraigned before Town of Tonawanda Court Judge Daniel T. Cavarello on one count of Criminally Negligent Homicide, a Class “E” felony, and one count of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Fourth Degree, a Class “A” misdemeanor. The defendant was arraigned on Wednesday, May 1, 2019.

It is alleged that on Tuesday, April 30, 2019, at approximately 8 p.m., the defendant fatally shot 49-year-old Renee Taschetta at their apartment on Dumas Place in the Town of Tonawanda.

Turner is scheduled to return on Monday, May 6, 2019 at 11 a.m. for a felony hearing. He was remanded without bail.

If convicted on all charges, he faces a maximum of 4 years in prison.

DA Flynn commends the Town of Tonawanda Police Department for their assistance in the investigation.

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

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