Jury finds Buffalo man guilty of manslaughter for fatally stabbing woman inside her apartment

Submitted by the Erie County District Attorney’s Office

Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn announced a jury has found 46-year-old Otis L. Johnson Jr. of Buffalo guilty of one count of manslaughter in the first degree (class “B” violent felony). Jurors rendered their decision late yesterday afternoon after less than two hours of deliberation following a five-day trial, convicting the defendant of the only count in the indictment against him.

On Monday, Dec. 19, 2022, at approximately 10:20 p.m., the defendant stabbed the victim six times during an argument. The crime occurred inside of the victim’s apartment on the 300 block of Riley Street in the City of Buffalo. The victim, 56-year-old Katherine Crofton, died from her injuries.

Johnson faces up to 25 years in prison when he is sentenced as a second felony offender before Erie County Court Judge Suzanne Maxwell Barnes on Thursday, June 27. He remains held without bail.

Flynn commends detectives Chris Sterlace, Terrence Supples, Jake Giarrano and Jose Lorenzo, as well as officers Sean Overdorf, Demetrius Reynolds, Ronald Ammerman and Brendan Overdorf of the Buffalo Police Department for their work in this investigation.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant Chief Gina M. Gramaglia of the special victims/domestic violence bureau and Assistant District Attorney Justin H. Caldwell of the homicide bureau.