LaVallee’s insistence led to murder conviction
The people of Erie County have a choice for district attorney for the first time in 12 years and I want them to know my story.
I met Diane LaVallee in 1993 shortly after my brother was murdered in another county. Not knowing who LaVallee was and what she did back then, I told her what happened to my brother. She listened compassionately. She then went on her own accord to the investigators in the city where my brother was killed and offered to help with the investigation.
With the help of one of her team members, they found evidence that was overlooked on a milk carton. She urged the small-town investigators to submit the DNA found. They were reluctant to do it. At the time, using DNA evidence wasn’t common practice and was very expensive. At LaVallee’s insistence, the DNA was placed in the national DNA bank. Fourteen years later, there was a match and the killer was found, convicted and sentenced. If it wasn’t for LaVallee, this killer would still be on the street today.
Karen Salzarullo
Amherst
