Guilty After 33 Years: Brian Scott Lorenzo Convicted in Cold Case Murder
New York jury finds defendant responsible for 1993 homicide of Deborah Meindl, decades after original convictions were vacated
Quick Facts
A New York jury has convicted Brian Scott Lorenzo of murdering Deborah Meindl, bringing a controversial case to closure more than three decades after the crime.
LorenZo, now 56, was found guilty of two counts of Murder in the Second Degree and one count of Burglary in the First Degree following a nine-day trial. The jury deliberated for approximately six hours before rendering the verdict.
Meindl, 33, was killed in her Franklin Street residence in Tonawanda, Erie County, on February 17, 1993. The Erie County Medical Examiner's Office determined she died from ligature strangulation. Her body was discovered in the dining room by her 10-year-old daughter when she returned home from school.
**The Original Case and Its Reversal**
LorenZo and co-defendant James Pugh were originally convicted in 1994. Lorenzo received a sentence of 37½ years to life, while Pugh was sentenced to 25 years to life. Both men had maintained their innocence throughout their imprisonment.
In August 2023, a judge vacated the original convictions, casting doubt on the evidence that had secured their initial guilty verdicts. Following this ruling, Erie County District Attorney Mike Keane pursued a retrial, resulting in the recent guilty verdict.
According to court documentation from 2023, the district attorney's office—specifically Assistant District Attorneys Heraty and Hillery—determined that Richard Matt and Detective Bentley were the actual perpetrators of the crime. This determination raised significant questions about the original investigation and prosecution.
