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Submitted by the Erie County District Attorney’s Office
Acting Erie County District Attorney Michael J. Keane announced Savon R. Stewart, 30, of Buffalo, was sentenced yesterday morning before Erie County Court Judge Susan Eagan to 25 years to life in prison.
On Monday, Aug. 7, 2023, at approximately 3 p.m., Buffalo Police officers responded to an apartment complex on the 3400 block of Main Street in the City of Buffalo after receiving a 911 call. Officers found the victim, 37-year-old Jena MacDiarmid Beal, deceased inside of her apartment. The defendant intentionally caused the death of his girlfriend by beating and stabbing the victim.
In October 2024, a jury found Stewart guilty of one count of murder in the second degree (class “A-I” felony). Jurors rendered their decision after approximately 40 minutes of deliberation following a six-day trial, convicting the defendant of the sole count in the indictment.
Keane commends detectives Thomas Nunan, Jennifer Zanghi, Scott Malec and Mark White, and Sgt. Keith Fitzner, of the Buffalo Police Department, for their work in this investigation.
The case was prosecuted by Chief Ashley M. Morgan of the felony trials bureau and Assistant District Attorney Caitlyn G. Burns of the special victims/domestic violence bureau.
If you or someone you know is a victim or may be at-risk of domestic violence, help is available through the BE SAFE domestic violence victim advocacy program. While our staff specialize in trauma-informed support and victim advocacy following the arrest of an offender, you do not need to have a pending criminal case to speak with an advocate and access services. For more information on BE SAFE, call 716-858-4630 or visit www.erie.gov/besafe.
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