On a bright afternoon on May 30, 2021, the life of 28-year-old Demetrious Javon Gray, a male resident of Niagara Falls, New York, was tragically cut short in a brazen daylight shooting. The incident occurred near the bustling intersection of 18th Street and Linwood Avenue, where violence erupted, shattering the peace of the neighborhood. In the attack, a second individual was also wounded.
The Niagara Falls Police Department launched an intensive investigation into the homicide, a task
that proved to be challenging due to a lack of cooperation from witnesses. Despite the initial difficulties, detectives painstakingly assembled the evidence needed to identify the individuals responsible for Mr. Gray's death. Their persistent efforts led to the arrests of two local men, Rodney Barnes-Staley and Felipe Rodriguez.
Following their arrests, a Niagara County Grand Jury handed down indictments against both Barnes-Staley and Rodriguez. The charges included murder, criminal possession of a weapon, and assault, the latter charge stemming from the injury of the second victim in the shooting. As the case proceeded through the legal system, both men ultimately pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of first-degree manslaughter. In August of 2022, a judge sentenced both Rodney Barnes-Staley and Felipe Rodriguez to 20 years in prison for their roles in the killing of Demetrious Javon Gray, bringing a close to the legal proceedings in this tragic case.
