Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn announces that 42-year-old Jevon A. Gaiter of Buffalo was sentenced this morning by Erie County Court Judge James Bargnesi to an indeterminate sentence of 25 years to life in prison.

On September 21, 2019, at approximately 1:00 a.m., the defendant, also known as “Animal,” intentionally stabbed the victim multiple times in the vicinity of Tonawanda and Vulcan Streets in the Town of Tonawanda. The victim, 59-year-old Mark Bottita, collapsed outside of a nearby convenience store. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

A jury found Gaiter guilty of one count of Murder in the Second Degree (Class “A-I” felony) on December 6, 2021. The jury rendered their decision after less than two hours of deliberation following a one-week trial, convicting the defendant of the only charge in the indictment against him.

DA Flynn commends Det. Capt. Joseph Fennell, Det. Eric Schmidt, and Lt. Tom Moore of the Town of Tonawanda Police Department for their work in the investigation.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Ashley M. Morgan of the Homicide Bureau and Assistant District Attorney Samantha N. King of the Felony Trials Bureau.