Defendant sentenced for 1993 murder in City of Tonawanda

Submitted by the Erie County District Attorney’s Office

Erie County District Attorney Michael J. Keane announced Brian Scott Lorenzo, also known as Brian Scott Lorenz, age 56, was sentenced Tuesday afternoon before State Supreme Court Justice Paul B. Wojtaszek. Lorenzo received an indeterminate sentence of 37½ years to life in prison.

On Wednesday, Feb. 17, 1993, the defendant entered or remained unlawfully in a residence on Franklin Street in the City of Tonawanda with the intent to commit a crime. While inside the house, the defendant intentionally caused the death of the homeowner, 33-year-old Deborah Meindl. The victim was found deceased in the dining room by her 10-year-old daughter when she arrived home from school. The Erie County Medical Examiner’s Office ruled the manner of death as homicide caused by ligature strangulation.

In 1994, Lorenzo was sentenced to 37½ years to life in prison after a jury found him guilty of all counts in the indictment. A co-defendant, who was convicted in the same trial, received an indeterminate sentence of 25 years to life in prison. This case was the subject of numerous post-conviction motions. In 2023, Justice Wojtaszek vacated the original jury verdict following a 440-motion hearing, and the People filed an appeal to the Supreme Court of the State of New York Appellate Division Fourth Judicial Department. After the Appellate Division upheld the judge’s decision to vacate the convictions, our office pursued separate re-trials due to the nature of the evidence, which included the defendant’s confessions to no less than six separate witnesses. The first re-trial of Lorenzo resulted in a mistrial in October 2025. In early December 2025, the People filed a motion to dismiss the indictment against the co-defendant, who was paroled in 2019, in the interest of justice with the consent of the victim’s family.

In April 2026, Brian Scott Lorenzo was tried for a third time. After nine days of proof and approximately six hours of deliberation, a jury found the defendant guilty of two counts of murder in the second degree (class A-I felonies) and one count of burglary in the first degree (class B violent felony), convicting him of all counts in the indictment.

“The passage of time presents significant challenges in any prosecution, and this case was no exception,” Keane said. “This outcome is a testament to the unwavering commitment of dedicated public servants tasked with the pursuit of justice. My thoughts remain with the family of Debbie Meindl, especially her youngest daughter, Lisa, and her sister, Lynne, who were present for every court appearance. I recognize that a trial, even more than three decades later, takes an emotional toll on every person involved, from witnesses to investigators – but especially for a family who continues to grieve the loss of their loved one. Again, I thank the Meindl family for their strength and cooperation throughout this lengthy legal process.”

The case was prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Eugene T. Partridge III, Chief Rebecca L. Schnirel of the felony trials bureau and Assistant District Attorney Ryan M. Flaherty of the major crimes bureau, with the assistance of Assistant District Attorney Harmony A. Healy of the appeals bureau.