Norbert Guzman Tapia was 25 when he was shot and killed outside an apartment at the Shaffer Village Apartments near Ontario Street in Buffalo’s Riverside neighborhood. The shooting occurred around 9:30 p.m. on August 27, 2019; Tapia was taken to Erie County Medical Center but died from his wounds.

Police announced an arrest the next day. The suspect was identified as 26-year-old Juan Ayala, also named Juan Ayala-Colon, and he was charged with murder. Later developments in the case show Ayala-Colon pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of manslaughter in the first degree and was sentenced in February 2020 to 18 years in prison with five years of post-release supervision.

If anyone witnessed the shooting near Upper East Lane that night or has information about Tapia’s final movements, please come forward.