A Buffalo resident, Darius Kadenhead, has been formally charged with second-degree murder for the fatal shooting of Marlon Clay inside a Jamestown apartment earlier this year. The indictment was announced by the Chautauqua County District Attorney’s Office, following a grand jury arraignment on Tuesday at Chautauqua County Court.
According to officials, the incident occurred on January 22 at Parkview Apartments, where Clay was discovered with a fatal gunshot wound to the back of his head. The discovery was made by another resident who promptly alerted law enforcement. Kadenhead, aged 33, was apprehended three days later.
District Attorney Jason Schmidt described the shooting as an execution-style killing, noting that Kadenhead had only been on parole for four months after serving time in state prison for a prior Manslaughter conviction.
At the time of his arrest, Kadenhead was found in possession of a loaded firearm, leading to additional charges related to parole violations and illegal weapon possession. The case is being jointly prosecuted by the Erie County District Attorney’s Office in collaboration with the Chautauqua County District Attorney’s Office.
Schmidt emphasized the community’s safety as a primary concern in handling such violent crimes. He stated, “Removing Mr. Kadenhead from the streets on these charges was crucial to public safety. This allowed us the necessary time to gather evidence, present it to the Grand Jury, and secure the indictment which was unsealed during yesterday’s arraignment.”
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The next court date for the case is scheduled for August 5, with bail set at $2.5 million in cash. Alternatively, Kadenhead may post a $5 million property bond or a $10 million bond secured by a 10% deposit.
