Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn announces that 27-year-old Juan A. Ayala-Colon of Buffalo has been sentenced by Erie County Court Judge Susan Eagan to a determinate sentence of 18 years in prison followed by 5 years of post-release supervision.

On Tuesday, August 27, 2019, at approximately 9:30 p.m., the defendant fatally shot 25-year-old Norbert Guzman Tapia outside of an apartment on Upper East Lane in the City of Buffalo. The victim died from his injuries at ECMC.

Ayala-Colon pleaded guilty to one count of Manslaughter in the First Degree, a Class “B” violent felony, on December 17, 2019.

DA Flynn commends Detectives Anthony Lapiana and Jason Mayhook of the Buffalo Police Department Homicide Squad for their work in the investigation.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Patrick B. Shanahan and John P. Gerken, Jr. the DA’s Tactical Prosecution Unit.