Erie County DA's Office announces guilty plea, sentencings

Submitted by the Erie County District Attorney’s Office

On July 2, Erie County District Attorney Michael J. Keane announced the following:

•Ronald T. O’Neil, 41, of Buffalo, pleaded guilty before Erie County Court Judge Susan Eagan to one count of murder in the second degree (class “A-I” felony) and one count of criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree (class “C” violent felony) on July 1. The defendant entered a guilty plea to all counts in the indictment.

On Sunday, May 26, 2024, at approximately 2:30 a.m., the defendant intentionally fired an illegal gun at the victim multiple times on the 3100 block of Main Street near Winspear Avenue in the City of Buffalo. The victim, 42-year-old Darius R. Spates Jr., suffered a gunshot wound to his back. He was taken in a private vehicle to ECMC where he was pronounced dead.

O’Neil faces a maximum of 25 years to life in prison when he is sentenced. He remains held without bail.

Keane commends detectives Scott Malec and Mark White of the Buffalo Police Department for their work in this investigation.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Christopher S. Safulko of the homicide bureau and Assistant District Attorney Kristen S. Fischer of the felony trials bureau.

•Shana A. Rowe, 40, of Buffalo, was sentenced before Erie County Court Judge Suzanne Maxwell Barnes. She received the maximum sentence of 25 years in prison followed by five years of post-release supervision.

On Wednesday, June 12, 2024, at approximately 8:45 p.m., the defendant shot the victim with an illegal gun on the 100 block of Liddell Street in the City of Buffalo. The victim, 43-year-old Shawneequa Pearson, was taken by ambulance to ECMC where she later died.

Rowe pleaded guilty to one count of manslaughter in the first degree (class “B” violent felony) on Jan. 21, 2025. The defendant pleaded guilty to the charge in full satisfaction of the indictment on the morning jury selection was scheduled to begin in her trial.

Keane commends the Buffalo Police Department for its work in this investigation.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Justin H. Caldwell of the homicide bureau and Chief Andres D. Ortiz of the Buffalo City Court bureau.

•Edward Harwell, 39, of Buffalo, was sentenced before Erie County Court Judge Susan Eagan. Harwell received a determinate sentence of 22 years in prison followed by five years of post-release supervision.

On Sunday, Aug. 3, 2024, at approximately 1:30 p.m., the defendant caused the death of the victim by shooting him with an illegal gun on the 200 block of Bird Avenue in the City of Buffalo. The victim, a 21-year-old male, was taken by ambulance to ECMC with multiple gunshot wounds. The victim was pronounced dead at the hospital.

A short time after the initial call, a Buffalo Police officer observed a vehicle traveling eastbound on Route 198 near Delaware Park, which matched the description of a vehicle that fled the area after the homicide. The officer followed the suspect vehicle as it traveled onto the Kensington Expressway, into downtown Buffalo, and onto Route 5 Skyway. While on the top of the Skyway, the officer saw multiple objects, that appeared to be handguns, thrown from the window of the vehicle.

Officers stopped the vehicle near the Fuhrmann Boulevard exit. The driver, Edward Harwell, and two passengers were taken into custody. Officers recovered two loaded firearms from the vehicle’s flight path, which were submitted into evidence for further analysis. Harwell was linked to the weapons through DNA analysis.

Harwell pleaded guilty to one count of manslaughter in the first degree (class “B” violent felony) and two counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree (class “C” violent felonies) in April 2025.

Two passengers were also indicted for being in possession of the recovered illegal weapons. An 18-year-old male from Buffalo pleaded guilty, as charged, to two counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree (class “C” violent felonies) in December 2024. The adolescent offender was also sentenced before Judge Eagan, a designated Youth Part judge, to six months in jail followed by five years of probation. He was adjudicated as a youthful offender due to his age at the time of the crime. The case against a second co-defendant was dismissed.

Keane commends Det. Anthony Shea and officer Christina Colosimo of the Buffalo Police Department for their work in this investigation.

The case was prosecuted by Safulko, and by Megan A. Connelly of the felony trials bureau.