Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn announces that 43-year-old Keith Sparks of Niagara Falls has been arraigned before Town of Hamburg Court Justice Carl Morgan on one count of Murder in the Second Degree, a Class “A-1” felony and one count of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree, a Class “C” felony.

It is alleged that on September 25, 2019, at approximately 2 p.m., the defendant fatally stabbed Mallicia Tipps inside the Sears store at the McKinley Mall in the Town of Hamburg. 

Sparks is scheduled to return on Tuesday, October 1, 2019 at 10 a.m. for a felony hearing in Hamburg Town Court. He remains held without bail.

If convicted on the charges, he faces a maximum of 25 years to life in prison.

DA Flynn commends the great work done by the Town of Hamburg Police Department and other law enforcement agencies for their work in the investigation.

The case is being prosecuted by Bureau Chief Colleen Curtin Gable of the DA’s Homicide Bureau.

As are all persons accused of a crime, the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.