Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn announces that a jury has found 34-year-old William J. Giambelluca of Hamburg guilty, as charged, of one count of Murder in the Second Degree (Class “A-I” felony) and one count of Robbery in the First Degree (Class “B” violent felony). Jurors rendered their decision this afternoon after approximately three hours of deliberation following a five-day trial, convicting the defendant of all counts in the indictment against him.
On November 22, 2021, at approximately 11:45 p.m., the victim was leaving a tavern on Lake Shore Road in the Village of Blasdell when he was attacked in the parking lot by the defendant. The defendant hit the victim on the head with an object during the commission of a robbery. The defendant fled after he stole an unknown amount of cash from the victim. The victim drove himself home after the assault.
The following morning, a family member found the victim unconscious inside of his home. The victim, 67-year-old John E. Rados, Sr., was taken by ambulance to ECMC where he later died on November 24, 2021. The Erie County Medical Examiner’s Office determined that the victim died from blunt force trauma to the head.
Giambelluca faces a maximum of 25 years to life in prison when he is sentenced before Erie County Court Judge Kenneth Case on Friday, October 13, 2023 at 9:30 a.m. He continues to be held without bail.
DA Flynn commends the Town of Hamburg Police Department for their work in this investigation.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Eugene T. Partridge, III of the Homicide Unit and Assistant District Attorney Christopher S. Safulko of the Major Crimes Unit.
