Acting Erie County District Attorney Michael J. Flaherty, Jr. announces that 32- year-old Antone Herrod of Buffalo has been sentenced to the maximum of 25 years to life in prison by Erie County Court Judge David Foley, after a jury in April found Herrod guilty of Murder in the Second Degree.

On December 1, 2014, in the vicinity of 61 Rother Avenue in Buffalo, Herrod fatally shot 24-year-old Christopher Pratt of Buffalo. 

At the time, Herrod was with his girlfriend who believed that Pratt shot her mother back in 2012 and left her unable to walk.   

Herrod and his girlfriend were driving on Rother Avenue when they spotted Pratt in the street. Herrod opened his trunk, pulled out a “long gun” and shot Pratt in the back, killing him.

Herrod claimed self-defense in the shooting, saying he fired at Pratt because he believed Pratt was walking tohis car to get a gun.  Police never found a weapon in Pratt’s vehicle. 

Acting DA Flaherty would like to commend the investigative work of the Buffalo Police Department Homicide Squad, including Detectives Christopher Sterlace, Reginald Minor, Nick Mourgas and former Detectives Sal Valvo and James Lema.

Assistant District Attorney John Patrick Feroleto prosecuted the case.