A New York man has been indicted for slaying his wife with an axe last month, officials announced Thursday.
Antonio Prieto, 46, is accused of “intentionally causing the death” of 29-year-old Elibeth Salazar by “striking her with an axe while inside their Buffalo apartment,” Acting Erie County District Attorney Michael J. Keane said in a news release.
The deadly incident of domestic violence unfolded in the early hours of Aug. 26. Buffalo Police officers were dispatched to a residence on the 300 block of Rhode Island St. just before 4 a.m.
When first responders arrived at the scene they found Salazar dead on the floor of a bedroom.
Prieto was also found in the apartment with apparent self-inflicted knife wounds, police said.
He was taken to the Erie County Medical Center for treatment. While hospitalized, Prieto was arraigned before Buffalo City Court Judge Gary W. Wilson, Jr. on a second-degree murder charge.
On Thursday, the Erie County District Attorney’s Office announced Prieto had been arraigned in State Supreme Court on an indictment charging him with one count of second-degree murder.
Prieto remains held without bail. He’s due to return to court on Oct. 28 for a pre-trial conference, according to the attorney’s office.
He faces a maximum sentence of 25 years to life in prison if convicted.
