In the late hours of a summer evening in Buffalo, New York, a dispute tragically escalated, ending the life of 28-year-old John Shelton, Jr. On August 28, 2018, near the Shaffer Village housing complex, Shelton was intentionally shot following a disagreement. The shooting occurred at approximately 11:30 p.m., and Shelton was pronounced dead at the scene.
For over a year and a half, the case remained unresolved, but a break came in March of 2020. The U.S.
Marshals located and arrested a suspect in Niagara Falls, bringing a renewed sense of hope for justice for Shelton's family and community. The individual taken into custody was Jose Crespo Garcia.
In November 2021, on the cusp of his trial, Jose Crespo Garcia, then 26, pleaded guilty to one count of manslaughter in the first degree. By pleading guilty, Garcia admitted to his role in the fatal shooting of John Shelton, Jr. Following his plea, he faced a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. His sentencing was scheduled for December of that year.
