BUFFALO, NY – Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn announced that Abouycea D. Thornton, 31, of Niagara Falls, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder on Monday.
The plea is in connection with a violent altercation that occurred on Saturday, September 17, 2022, on Berkshire Avenue, Buffalo.
Buffalo Police responded to a reported fight, where Thornton assaulted his ex-girlfriend and fatally beat her boyfriend, Nickolas Grazes, 29, of Buffalo, with a metal pipe.
Grazes succumbed to his injuries, while the female victim sustained arm injuries but was released from the hospital after treatment.
Thornton, who pleaded guilty to the highest charge in the indictment, faces a maximum sentence of 25 years to life. His sentencing is scheduled for Wednesday, February 14, 2024. He remains in custody without bail.