TONAWANDA, N.Y. — Erie County District Attorney John Flynn revealed new details in the death of a 49-year-old woman in the Town of Tonawanda. The incident, which was originally being investigated as a suspicious death, is now being treated as a homicide investigation.
The victim has now been identified as Renee Traschetta. It is believed that 51-year-old Mario Turner, the man accused of killing her, was her husband. According to Flynn, Traschetta's body was found by one of the couple's adult children Tuesday evening on Dumas Place.Flynn says Traschetta was shot in the base of the neck.
Mario Turner is facing charges for criminal possession of a weapon and criminally negligent homicide. If convicted, Turner could face four years in prison.
"The reason he's being charged with a weapon's charge is due to his criminal past," Flynn said.
District Attorney Flynn says the current charges Turner faces match the current evidence investigators have against him. There is a chance those charges to increase in severity depending on what investigators discover.
"He's been charged right now with the lowest level of homicide," Flynn added.
The investigation is ongoing. Turner is scheduled to return on Monday, May 6 for a felony hearing.
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