On a cold November night in 2018, the life of 22-year-old Rachael Wierzbicki was tragically cut short in Buffalo, New York. On November 27th, she was fatally shot outside the South Buffalo home of her boyfriend, Shane Casado. The two had been in a relationship for approximately six months.
That evening, Wierzbicki had gone to Casado's residence on Edson Street. Following an exchange of words, an unarmed Wierzbicki kicked Casado's car. In response, Casado, then 27 years old, fired a.
22-caliber rifle, striking her in the abdomen. Wierzbicki was rushed to Erie County Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead.
Shane Casado was arrested and charged with the murder of his girlfriend. During the ensuing trial, the prosecution argued that Casado's actions constituted a criminal act. However, Casado's defense team claimed he felt threatened and did not intend to kill Wierzbicki. They pointed to a 911 call made by Casado as evidence of his concern for her after the shooting.
After a trial that lasted eight days, the jury deliberated for over six hours. In a decision that stunned many, Shane Casado was acquitted of both second-degree murder and first-degree manslaughter charges on October 7, 2021. The jury ultimately found that the prosecution had not proven beyond a reasonable doubt that Casado intended to cause serious harm or kill Rachael Wierzbicki. One juror later commented that they found Casado's testimony to be 'mostly believable.'
