In the winter of 2016, a violent encounter in a parking lot in North Tonawanda, New York, abruptly ended the life of 25-year-old Mark D. Sternin, Jr. The incident, which occurred on January 10th, also left another man, Tyler Sadauskas, critically injured from a gunshot wound. Sternin, a resident of Tonawanda and formerly of Newfane, was remembered as an avid outdoorsman who cherished his family and had a love for sports, particularly snowboarding, hiking, and following the Buffalo Bills.
The investigation into the shooting quickly identified a suspect, Dominick Cruz. Described as being of Puerto Rican descent, Cruz had an extensive criminal history, prompting law enforcement to consider him armed and dangerous. A manhunt ensued, with the U.S. Marshals Service joining the search and offering a reward for information leading to his capture. Authorities believed Cruz had ties to Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and expanded their search to that area. He was wanted on a slew of charges, including murder, attempted murder, assault, and criminal possession of a weapon, for his role in the fatal shooting.
After his apprehension, Dominick Cruz stood trial for the killing of Mark Sternin and the wounding of Tyler Sadauskas. The legal proceedings brought some measure of closure to the Sternin family, who had endured numerous trips from their home in Arizona to New York for the court proceedings. In the fall of 2016, a jury found Cruz guilty on all counts related to the murder. Subsequently, the 39-year-old was sentenced to a lengthy prison term of 65 years to life, ensuring he would be held accountable for the violence that transpired on that January day. The resolution of the case, while not erasing the family's tragic loss, provided a sense of justice for the senseless act that took a young man's life.
