HAMBURG, NY – Five accomplices have been indicted and arraigned on charges related to a luring incident that led to murder on Saturday.
According to court records, the five defendants are accused of conspiring to lure a victim to a wooded area near Heltz Road in Lakeview with the intent to commit an assault.
“It is alleged that on the late evening of Saturday, July 9, the three female defendants drove the victim to the location where the three male defendants were hiding in the woods. The six defendants are accused of acting in concert with one another with the intent to cause physical injury to the victim,” the documents show. “When the victim exited the vehicle, he was allegedly punched by one of the male defendants. The victim allegedly retreated back into the vehicle in an attempt to escape the attack.”
Police said 26-year-old Jared M. Adamski, while armed with a knife, engaged in a physical altercation with the victim inside of the vehicle. Adamski is accused of stabbing the victim multiple times in the upper leg area.
The victim, 25-year-old Brenden Benoit of Boston, New York, was fatally injured and died at the scene.
Adamski was held without bail. Prosecutors requested that the five co-defendants also be remanded. Dean, Drozen, Krone, Skybyk-Schuh, and Smith were held on $100,000 cash/bond or $200,000 partially secured bond.
Adamski is being charged with Manslaughter and Assault.
Five co-defendants were also arraigned this afternoon before Justice Morgan. Each have been charged with one count of Assault in the Second Degree for their alleged role in the crime under the theory of accomplice liability.
- Elexus O. Dean, 20, of Village of Hamburg
- Harrison J. Drozen, 20, of Village of Hamburg
- Connor E. Krone, 22, of Village of Hamburg
- Kayleigh A. Skybyk-Schuh, 19, of Village of Hamburg
- Larissa C. Smith, 18, of Town of Hamburg
If convicted of the highest charge, Adamski faces a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison. If convicted of the assault charge, the co-defendants face a maximum sentence of 7 years in prison.