Jury Convicts Cheektowaga Man of All Counts for the Murder of His Estranged Wife

Acting Erie County District Attorney Michael J. Keane announces thata jury has found Adam R. Bennefield, Sr., 47, of Cheektowaga guilty of one count of Murder in the Second Degree (Class "A-I" felony), one count of Aggravated Criminal Contempt (Class "D" felony) and three counts of Endangering the Welfare of a Child (Class "A" misdemeanors). Jurors rendered their decision this afternoon after approximately an hour of deliberation following a three-day trial, convicting the defendant of all counts in the indictment.

On Wednesday, October 5, 2022, at approximately 8:30 a.m., the defendant intentionally crashed his pickup truck into his estranged wife's vehicle while she was stopped in the area of Richlawn Avenue and Shawnee Avenue in the City of Buffalo. The victim and her three children were inside of the vehicle at the time of the collision. After the crash, the defendant exited his vehicle, approached the victim, and intentionally shot her with a shotgun. The victim, 30-year-old Ke'Aira Bennefield, also known as Ke'Aira S. Hudson, died at the scene.

The victim's three children witnessed the homicide of their mother. Bennefield committed the crime while knowingly in violation of an order of protection issued after his arrest for a prior domestic violence-related incident involving the same victim.

Bennefield faces a maximum of 25 years to life in prison when he is sentenced before State Supreme Court Justice M. William Boller on Friday, December 20, 2024, at 2:00 p.m. He remains held without bail.

"This was a callous, cold-blooded murder committed by a defendant who intentionally shot his estranged wife in the head in the presence of her three small children. I commend the victim's daughter for having the strength and courage to testify against her mother's killer. On behalf of Ke'Aira Hudson and her family, we will be asking the Court to impose the maximum term of incarceration at sentencing," said Acting Erie County DA Mike Keane.

Acting DA Keane commends the Buffalo Police Department, Cheektowaga Police Department, U.S. Marshals Service Fugitive Task Force and other assisting law enforcement agencies for their work in this investigation.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Justin H. Caldwell of the Homicide Bureau and Chief Colleen Curtin Gable, Senior Trial Counsel.

If you or someone you know is a victim or may be at-risk of domestic violence, help is available through the BE SAFE Domestic Violence Victim Advocacy Program. While our staff specialize in trauma-informed support and victim advocacy following the arrest of an offender, you do not need to have a pending criminal case to speak with an advocate and access services. For more information on BE SAFE, call 716-858-4630 or visit www.erie.gov/besafe.