Erie County District Attorney Michael J. Keane announces that Avantae M. Ayala, also known as "Tay," 23, of Buffalo, was sentenced early this afternoon before State Supreme Court Justice Debra Givens. Ayala received an indeterminate sentence of 25 years to life in prison.
On Friday, July 7, 2023, at approximately 12:33 a.m., the defendant, while sitting in the front passenger seat of a vehicle, intentionally fired one shot from an illegal pistol toward a group of teenagers who were gathered outside of an apartment on Mortimer Street near Broadway. One person was hit by gunfire. The victim, 13-year-old Miracle Hunt, was pronounced dead at the scene.
In October 2025, a jury found Ayala guilty of 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). Jurors rendered their decision after approximately 90 minutes of deliberation following a 5 ½-day trial, convicting him of all counts in the indictment.
“Miracle Hunt was enjoying a summer night with friends when her life was tragically ended. She was an innocent bystander who became a victim of gun violence due to the actions of this defendant. I hope that her family feels justice has been served by this defendant being convicted of all charges and being sentenced to a significant term of incarceration,” said District Attorney Mike Keane.
DA Keane commends Detective Erin McCarthy of the Buffalo Police Department for her work in this investigation as well as victim advocate Kimberly Rapp, and several Confidential Criminal Investigators from the Erie County District Attorney’s Office, including but not limited to Salvatore Valvo.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Justin H. Caldwell of the Homicide Bureau and Assistant District Attorney James L. Harrington of the Felony Trials Bureau.