Three members of the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office were among five law enforcement officers in the region to receive an award for their work on solving the homicide cases of two Buffalo women whose remains were found in the Town of Portland. Crime Stoppers WNY presented the Law Enforcement Achievement Award to Lieutenant Alex Nutt, Sergeant Luke Johnson, Investigator Jacob Stahley, and two Buffalo Police Department detectives. The five officers worked together for more than three years on the cases of Marquita Mull and Cassandra Watson. Their remains were found by a hiker near the Chautauqua County Rails to Trails off Woleben Road in September 2021. Earlier this year, 62-year-old Richard Fox of Buffalo was charged with the killing of both women. He pleaded guilty to two counts of 2nd-degree murder in September and is scheduled to be sentenced in November.
Chautauqua County Sheriff Jim Quattrone says, “The successful resolution of this case is the result of teamwork, cooperation and collaboration among these five officers and many others who assisted along the way. They continually consulted one another, shared information, and were humble in their work. I believe this case is just one example of the manner in which these five officers conduct themselves on a daily basis. They treat every case and every victim with the respect and diligence that is needed for a successful resolution.”
Several other agencies also contributed to the investigation, including State Police, the Lakewood-Busti Police Department, the Chautauqua County District Attorney’s Office, and the FBI…