Jury finds Buffalo man guilty of 2022 murder

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — A jury found a Buffalo man guilty of murder among other charges Wednesday morning in connection with a September 2022 shooting, the Erie County District Attorney’s Office announced.

Officials accused 42-year-old Joel Coleman of killing 34-year-old Nicholas Petroski by shooting him once in the neck with an illegal gun around 5:15 a.m. Sept. 20. Petroski died at the scene.

The crime occurred on the 400 block of Jefferson Avenue in the victim’s residence.

Coleman was also accused of pointing the gun at another victim after the shooting, placing them in reasonable fear of physical injury. The jury found him guilty of one count of second-degree murder, one count of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon and one count of second-degree menacing, all the counts in the indictment against him.

Coleman’s co-defendant, 24-year-old Azaliyah Serrano of Kenmore, pleaded guilty to second-degree assault in connection with the crime. Serrano allegedly poured bleach on the second victim and was sentenced to two years in prison last July.

Coleman remains held without bail. If convicted, Coleman faces a maximum of 25 years to life in prison and is scheduled to be sentenced Nov. 7.

Kayleigh Hunter-Gasperini joined the News 4 team in 2024 as a Digital Video Producer. She is a graduate of Chatham University.