A North Tonawanda man who fatally stabbed a man in Buffalo in 2023 is heading to prison on a 20-year sentence
John A. Rudes, 29, of North Tonawanda, was sentenced Wednesday morning before Erie County Court Judge Susan Eagan to 20 years in prison followed by 5 years of post-release supervision.
In the early morning hours of Sept, 17, 2023, Rudes stabbed a man multiple times in the neck while inside of an apartment building on the 1000 block of Kenmore Avenue in Buffalo. The victim, 59-year-old Terry Jackson, was pronounced dead at the scene.
In January, Rudes pleaded guilty to one count of first-degree manslaughter (Class “B” violent felony). He entered the plea to the charge in full satisfaction of the indictment.
Rudes also pleaded guilty to one count of fourth-degree grand larceny (Class “E” felony) in a separate case. Prior to the homicide, Rudes was under investigation for stealing money from his former employer. Wednesday, he received the maximum sentence of 1 1/3 to 4 years in prison, which will be served concurrently to his sentence for the manslaughter conviction.
In January 2023, the victim reported to the Depew Police Department that several checks had been stolen from his business checkbook, resulting in a total loss of $3,763. The investigation determined that Rudes, who had been an employee of the victim’s landscaping company, wrote several checks payable to himself. Between Dec. 7, 2022, and Jan. 12, 2023, he deposited the stolen checks at various bank locations, which was supported by video evidence. As a condition of the plea, Rudes agreed to pay full restitution to the victim.
Erie County District Attorney Michael J. Keane commended Detective Sergeant Keith Fitzner and Detective Jen Zhangi of the Buffalo Police Department as well as Officer Patrick Canna and Detective James Refermat of the Depew Police Department for their work in these investigations.
The cases were prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney William Fitzgerald of the Felony Trials Bureau, Assistant District Attorney Ryan A. Emmerling of the Special Investigations and Prosecutions Bureau with assistance from Assistant District Attorney Rebecca L. Schnirel of the Homicide Bureau and Assistant District Attorney Jordana C. Grosodonia of the Special Victims/Domestic Violence Bureau.