West NY News

District Attorney Jason Schmidt announced that 33-year-old Darius Kadenhead of Buffalo, New York, was indicted by a Grand Jury and arraigned on July 16 in Chautauqua County Court on a charge of Murder in the Second Degree. The indictment stems from the shooting death of Marlon Clay on January 22 at the Parkview Apartments in Jamestown. Bail was set by Hon. David W. Foley at $2.5 million cash or, alternatively, a $5 million property bond or $10 million secured by the posting of 10%.

According to DA Schmidt, "Mr. Clay sustained a single gunshot wound to the back of the head. His body was later discovered by a tenant in the apartment complex who alerted police. What followed was an immediate, intensive investigation by members of Jamestown Police Department, the Chautauqua County Forensics Investigation Team and District Attorney’s Office, leading to the identification and apprehension of Mr. Kadenhead in Buffalo, New York three days later, on January 25th. Mr. Kadenhead’s apprehension was led by our own Jamestown Detectives who, themselves, traveled into the City of Buffalo to make contact with Mr. Kadenhead in coordination with Buffalo PD and the FBI."

"The manner of his death suggests that Mr. Clay was executed," Schmidt continued. "At the time Mr. Kadenhead is alleged to have committed this brutal, irreversible act, he had been on parole for only four months after having been released from state prison for a prior Manslaughter conviction. When Jamestown Detectives approached Mr. Kadenhead, he was found to be in possession of a loaded firearm and was then taken into custody on a parole violation and new weapon charge which is currently prosecuted by the Erie County District Attorney’s Office in consultation with me and my office."

Schmidt added that taking Kadenhead off the street on those charges satisfied public safety concerns and allowed time to continue gathering evidence for presentation to a Grand Jury.

"Mr. Clay’s death was our first homicide of 2024," Schmidt noted. "Within the next three months, before we even closed out the month of April, a total of five confirmed homicides occurred in our relatively small community." He compared this number unfavorably to Boston's homicide rate through June.

Schmidt expressed gratitude towards law enforcement: "Obtaining and arraigning the defendant on our indictment is just the first stage of a lengthy legal process which would not have gotten off the ground without the perseverance and dedication of Jamestown police which led the investigation."

The case is scheduled for a discovery compliance conference on August 5th.

"We are completing our discovery compliance work and preparing for defense challenges," said Schmidt. "Given our busy trial schedule and litigation ahead, I do not expect a trial date before the end of the year."