DEMARI MILLER - 9 months - (2009) Buffalo NY

A 25-year-old Buffalo father is charged with the brutal beating death of his 9-month-old
child early Monday at the family's home on Humason Avenue, police said this afternoon. Darnell Miller, arrested on one count of second-degree murder, attacked the child, Demari
Miller, with his fists in their home on the first block of Humason, police said. "It was determined that the cause of death was the result of a severe beating, indicated
by both external and internal injuries," said Dennis J. Richards, chief of detectives. The child, who was unresponsive when Ferry-Fillmore District police arrived at about 7:15
a.m. Monday, was taken to Erie County Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. Police said they were told by the child's parents that they found him in an unresponsive
state, but an autopsy determined the baby boy had been beaten. "It's the most disturbing autopsy report I've ever seen," Deputy Police Commissioner Daniel
Derenda said. During an interview Wednesday with Homicide Detectives Michael Acquino and Michael A.
Mordino at police headquarters, Darnell Miller confessed to the killing, authorities said. Miller is being detained without bail at the Erie County Holding Center. Assisting in the investigation and arrest were Homicide Detective Sgt. Daniel F. Rinaldo and
Detective Mary E. Gugliuzza.

Nine-month-old Demari Miller, described by neighbors as a cute baby boy, was savagely
beaten to death by his 25-year-old father early Monday, police said. Using his fists, Darnell Miller fractured his son's skull, split his liver in two and
repeatedly punched the child, causing external and internal injuries, according to police. "It's the most disturbing autopsy report I've ever seen," Deputy Police Commissioner Daniel
Derenda said. Chief of Detectives Dennis J. Richards said it was hard to fathom why a father would kill
his own baby. "We don't have a right to say one homicide is more important than another. Nevertheless, a
defenseless 9-month-old child makes you wonder," Richards said. When asked about a motive, Richards grimly responded, "That's the question, why?" Ferry-Fillmore District police officers answered a call for assistance at 7:15 a.m. Monday
at 84 Humason Ave., in the Genesee-Pine Ridge area, and were told by the child's parents that
they had found him unresponsive. The child was then transported to Erie County Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. Two days later, Darnell Miller confessed during an interview with Homicide Detectives
Michael Acquino and Michael A. Mordino that he had killed his son, Richards said. Miller was
charged with one count of second-degree murder. Miller's neighbors were puzzled and upset when they learned the child had been killed. "Someone's really got to be psychologically deranged to do something like that to a child,"
said William Vanoy, a father of nine children who lives across the street from Miller. "I had a run-in with him the day I moved here. I told him I was about to bring my U-Haul
truck, and could he move his car. He was getting out of his car and he said, "Yeah, yeah,
yeah,' and rushed inside his house. I went and knocked on his door and he never came out, but
I could see the curtains kept moving," Vanoy added. Though upset by the death, Janie Stearns painted a different picture of Miller. "He seemed like a really nice guy. I understood he was going to college," Stearns said.
"I've got five children of my own, and I can't really describe in words how anyone could do
that. It's just unspeakable, sickening." Another neighbor, who would give only her first name, Theresa, said Miller and his
girlfriend, the mother of Demari, were supposed to be getting married. "Oh, my God," Theresa said on learning of the child's death. "That little baby was so
cute!" Miller is being held without bail in the Erie County Holding Center. Assisting in the
investigation and arrest were Homicide Detective Sgt. Daniel F. Rinaldo and Detective Mary E.
Gugliuzza. Demari Miller is the city's 48th homicide victim this year.

A 26-year-old Humason Avenue man has been indicted by an Erie County grand
jury on a single count of second-degree murder in the fatal beating of his
infant son two months ago, Erie County District Attorney Frank A. Sedita III
announced today. Darnell Miller is scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday morning before Erie County Judge Thomas
P. Franczyk for what prosecutors described as the savage beating of eight-month-old DeMario
Miller in the family home at 84 Humason sometime early on Oct. 26. Miller, who reportedly made incriminating admissions to police detectives two days after
the death of his son, faces a mandatory life term if convicted. John R. Nuchereno, Miller's
attorney, could not be reached for comment. Prosecutors Gary W. Hackbush and James F. Bargnesi declined comment on possible motives for
the beating. Miller is being jailed without bail.

Man to do hard time after killing baby


Man beat eight-month-old baby to death


BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) - He beat his eight-month-old baby to death. Now, a Buffalo man will do hard time for the brutal killing.
Within a matter of minutes, 26-year-old Darnell Miller learned he is spending the next 22 years of his life behind bars.
News 4 cameras were not allowed in the courtroom, but News 4's Nalina Shapiro saw 11 of Miller's friends and family watching his sentencing. They had no comment as they walked by.
Last October, police say Miller beat his eight-month-old son Demario to death in his Buffalo home. Miller was alone at the time. The baby's mother was at work. Lawyers will not say if the mother was in court Monday.
"This was a negotiated sentence done in conjunction with the family, the mother of the victim who was also Darnell's wife at the time," said Assistant District Attorney, James Bargnesi. "It's always a very difficult case to get your mind around how it happens or how it could happened."
Miller's Lawyer John Nuchereno said, "The why becomes even more difficult to answer and it has to be couched in terms of the hisotry of mental illness and disorder that he's lived through."
Miller had no comment in court Monday. Investigators call this one of the worst cases they've ever seen.

http://www.wivb.com/dpp/news/buffalo/Man-to-do-hard-time-after-killing-baby