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Buffalo Police Cold Case Squad Cracks 1993 Case

The Buffalo Police Cold Case Squad solved a murder case dating back to September of 1993 with the arrest of a Kenmore man. Cold Case Detectives arrested 55 year old Dennis Donohue of School Street and charged him with second degree murder in the killing of 42 year old Joan Giambra of South Buffalo. Giambra was found dead in her Hillside Avenue home on September 9, 1993.

The case was reopened back in March of 2006 when the Cold Case Unit was reinstated. Police Commissioner H. McCarthy Gipson, out of town for today's announcement, praised the work of his squad, Detectives Charles Aronica, Mary Gugliuzza, Dennis Delano and Lisa Redmond. Gipson said "the tireless work of our Cold Case Unit has brought some closure to a Buffalo family and ended a case 14 plus years in the making".

Buffalo Mayor Byron W. Brown said, "I commend the hard work and dedication of members of the Buffalo Police Department's Cold Case Squad who have solved another violent crime that brought great pain and anguish to the victim's family and friends. When the Cold Case Squad was reactivated in 2006, we were hopeful that new technology and analytical capabilities would enable the Squad to pursue criminals responsible for past offenses and bring them to justice. That is precisely what has occurred in the case of Joan Giambra. Our city residents should know that the Buffalo Police Department is determined to apprehend anyone responsible for breaking the law and victimizing law abiding citizens, no matter how long it takes them to crack a case."

Donohue was arraigned in Buffalo City Court Tuesday.