Antonio Pizarro
Antonio Pizarro, a 27-year-old Hispanic man, was described by his mother, Nadia Pizarro, as a wonderful and special person who was her entire world, and he attended Randolph Academy Hamburg Campus. He was found unresponsive in his cell at the Erie County Holding Center in downtown Buffalo on July 4, 2026, and was pronounced dead that morning despite efforts to revive him. The Erie County Medical Examiner's Office ruled his death a homicide caused by strangulation. Prosecutors and Sheriff John Garcia say two other people held at the jail followed him into his cell and that one choked him while the other held his legs; the sheriff said deputies did not realize anything had happened until about 30 minutes after the attack, and two men have been charged with murder. His mother has filed a notice of claim alleging wrongful death against Erie County, the Holding Center and the Sheriff's Office, and the family says they have not been allowed to see him.
Cause of death, as reported: Killed by another person in custody (disputed; neglect alleged). The Medical Examiner ruled the death a homicide by strangulation, and the family's wrongful death notice says he was restrained and choked by other inmates, while the Sheriff's Office says deputies did not realize something had happened until about 30 minutes after the attack, which the family's notice does not dispute on that point.
Reported by: Erie County Medical Examiner's Office (medical examiner or coroner); Erie County District Attorney Michael Keane and Sheriff John Garcia (the agency that held him); Erie County Sheriff's Office (the agency that held him); Nadia Pizarro (mother, wrongful death notice) (family or their lawyers); New York State Office of the Attorney General, Office of Special Investigation (outside investigators).
Sources (12)
- New York Attorney General, Office of Special Investigation data tables
- Erie County Holding Center death investigated as homicide
- Sheriff's Office investigating homicide at Erie County Holding Center
- Sheriff’s Office investigating homicide within Holding Center
- Scrutiny is renewed following latest death in Erie County Holding Center
- Erie County Holding Center inmate may have died at hands of others behind bars
- Inmate killed in the Holding Center likely restrained and choked by other inmates
- Two inmates accused of killing another inmate inside Erie County Holding Center
- Four minutes in a Holding Center cell left one inmate dead and two charged with murder
- Lancaster man indicted on second degree murder charge for alleged role in death of a fellow prisoner
- Investigation underway after inmate death at Erie County Holding Center
- The jail killing of Antonio Pizarro