The death of Jalia Marrero, who was found in a shallow grave behind a Delaware Avenue plaza in June, has been ruled a homicide, Buffalo police said Saturday. The update adds more questions to a case where a father and daughter were killed in about a month’s span, and no one has been charged or arrested in either death.
Marrero’s father, Luis Marrero, 39, was fatally shot May 4 in an apartment on Donovan Drive in the Ferry-Grider Homes, Buffalo police said. Crime Stoppers WNY on Aug. 4 offered a $7,500 reward for information about who was responsible for the homicide.
Luis Marrero, was fatally shot May 4 in an apartment on Donovan Drive in the Ferry-Grider Homes, Buffalo police said. He was 39. Police found Jalia Marrero’s body 33 days later in a wooded area behind a commercial plaza on Delaware Avenue, south of Kenmore Avenue.
Marrero, an 18-year-old student at McKinley High School, was reported missing May 21, but had not been seen by family members since a week after her father’s death. Her body was found in early June in a wooded area behind a commercial plaza in North Buffalo, south of Delsan Court. Her death was not ruled a homicide until Saturday, when Erie County medical examiners announced the determination.
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Family members believe they know who killed Luis Marrero, and they believe Jalia Marrero was killed by the same person, The News reported Jun 27.
Her loved ones had no doubt that her death was a homicide, said Pastor Tim Newkirk of GYC Ministries, who has been supporting the family.
“We always knew it would come to light,” Newkirk said Saturday.
“This is a double homicide,” Newkirk added, saying they also believe that Marrero was kidnapped before she was killed. “She went missing. Her phone was off. All of her social media was disconnected.”
The family and friends are hopeful that this latest development will finally lead to an arrest.
Anyone with information is asked to call or text the Buffalo Police Department’s confidential tip line at 716-847-2255.
Ben Tsujimoto can be reached at btsujimoto@buffnews.com, at (716) 849-6927 or on Twitter at @Tsuj10.