Buffalo police accuse man with murder after six nations and partner killed in their house

Police in Buffalo, NY, says a 34 -year -old man was accused of murder of killing a Six Nations Man and his partner Last week.

The couple, Jordan Celotto, 37, and Michael (Mickey) Harmon, 40, were found dead in their residence Allentown on March 4, around 4:30 pm, according to the police. Buffalo’s interim mayor, Christopher Scanlon, said the cause of death was the trauma of the blunt force.

“As we have achieved, the nature of these crimes is truly horrible, their meaningless and violent nature is something we cannot and we will not bear here in the city of Buffalo,” Scanlon said at a press conference on March 7, announcing the accusations.

A 34 -year -old without a fixed address was accused of a first -degree murder number and two accusations of murder, the police said.

The man was trying to get into other houses, says the police

The head of the detectives for the Buffalo Police, Craig Macy, said at Press conference The man was not known by Celotto or Harmon.

Macy said the person was in the neighborhood for 45 minutes trying to get into other houses. “It has also been found that the suspect is trying to enter several vehicles during the same period of time,” he said.

The lawyer of the Erie District, Michael Keane, said that the person “illegally entered the victims’ house” that morning and hit both of them with a blunt object.

Scanlon added that, based on the police investigation, the attack was not targeted or motivated by hatred.

Celotto and Harmon were pronounced dead on the spot.

Police said that a couple’s friend had previously passed the house after one of the victims failed to come to work. The friend saw someone with a knife and called 911. The officers who went on the spot saw a man who said he was cut before throwing the knife.

The 34 -year -old was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. He was discharged on Friday and charged.

“He is facing a maximum life penalty without conditions of conditional freedom, if convicted,” said Keane, adding that the police are still investigating.

“I know this is a great loss for our community and it is hard to understand this tragic crime.”

“A tragedy that we have never expected”

Celotto was a member of the Onondaga Beaver family from six nations in Grand River.

Celotto’s close friend, Sophia Mafaje, told CBC Hamilton last week that she grew up in the Niagara region and was deeply linked to her origin community in six nations. He was “an amazing artist” and “so loving,” she said.

Family friend Heather La Form set up a Gofundme page to help Celotto’s family “with unexpected costs … to take him home to Sour Springs Longhouse” in six nations.

Nearly $ 59,000 dollars from the $ 70,000 goal have been collected from Wednesday morning.

Celotto’s death was “a tragedy that we never expected and I never prepared it,” he wrote in the form on the fundraising page.

Harmon also had a gofundme page for his funeral costs, where he said he would be buried in Buffalo.

The couple was loved and well known in the 2SLGBTQ+ and Arts communities in Buffalo.

Dozens of tributes were posted by people from the American city and not only, last week, including the Western New York Center, the LGBTQ Buffalo-Niagara LGBTQ history project, where Harmon was a member of the Local Board and Cafe.

“The impact they had in the Queer community is immeasurable. They simply made the buffalo, and especially the Allentown community, where they called home, a better place for everyone,” the Pride Online Center wrote.

A The feast of life Both for Celotto and the Harmon will take place at the Center for Contemporary Arts Hallwalls in Buffalo on March 22.