Erie County District Attorney Michael J. Keane appointed Eugene T. Partridge, III, to serve as a Deputy District Attorney, effective Friday, June 5, 2026. This announcement follows the recent departure of former Deputy District Attorney Mara McCabe who was appointed by Governor Kathy Hochul to serve as a New York State Court of Claims Judge.
During his 18-year career, Gene Partridge has prosecuted some of the most violent perpetrators and most difficult cases handled by the Erie County DA’s Office. As one of our most skilled trial lawyers, he has brought dozens of criminal cases to a successful verdict before a jury. While serving in the Homicide Bureau, Mr. Partridge has taken on challenging and complex murder investigations, including cold cases and crimes involving multiple victims. In 2017, he secured a conviction in a cold case homicide involving a woman who killed a 92-year-old World War I veteran during a burglary in June 1983. Most recently, he was part of the prosecution team whose dedicated work resulted in a jury finding a defendant guilty of all counts of the indictment for the murder of a young mother inside her City of Tonawanda home after the original 1994 conviction was vacated.
In December 2024, District Attorney Keane appointed Mr. Partridge as the Homicide Bureau Chief. He previously served as Chief of Major Crimes, a bureau responsible for investigating gun-involved violence and gang-related activity. In addition to managing his own caseload, Chief Partridge and his team work closely with law enforcement to attempt to prevent gun violence by identifying conflicts and developing strategies to interrupt potential violence.
Mr. Partridge is a valued mentor to young prosecutors and participates in office-wide training to impart his knowledge and experience. He has lectured at the Central Police Services Training Academy on eyewitness identification and worked as an instructor at the University of Buffalo on criminal procedure law. As part of our community engagement initiative, he has served as a panelist at gun violence prevention seminars at Buffalo Public Schools.
Mr. Partridge was honored by the Erie County Law Enforcement Foundation, Inc., for his dedicated service to law enforcement in Spring 2024. In 2019, he was also named “Prosecutor of the Year” by Crime Stoppers Western New York.
“During his career, Gene has advocated zealously on behalf of the victims of the most heinous crimes. He is a dedicated professional who investigates all cases methodically and meticulously, leading to a result that balances fairness, accountability and protection of our community. His diligent preparation, professionalism, integrity and knowledge of the law contribute to his success as a prosecutor and as a leader in this office. I am proud to have him join my leadership team as a Deputy District Attorney,” said Erie County District Attorney Mike Keane.
Additional Bureau Chief appointments effective Monday, June 8, 2026:
- Andres D. Ortiz was designated as Chief of the Felony Trials Bureau. He previously served as Chief of the Buffalo City Court Bureau.
- Hilarie Henry was designated as Chief of the Buffalo City Court Bureau. She previously served as the bureau’s Assistant Chief.
- Christopher M. McCarthy was designated as Assistant Chief of the Buffalo City Court Bureau. He most recently served as an Assistant District Attorney in the Vehicular Crimes Bureau.
Appointments effective Monday, June 22, 2026:
- Ashley M. Morgan will serve as Chief of the Homicide Bureau. She is the second female prosecutor to hold this position. Chief Morgan currently oversees the office’s Major Crimes Bureau.
- Christopher S. Safulko will serve as Chief of the Major Crimes Bureau. He currently serves as an Assistant District Attorney in the Homicide Bureau.
- Rebecca A. Fioravanti will serve as Assistant Bureau Chief of the Domestic Violence Bureau and Special Victims Unit. She currently serves as an Assistant District Attorney in the Special Victims Unit.