(WNY News Now) – Buffalo – A Cheektowaga man has been indicted for murder after allegedly beating a 66-year-old victim to death in his Riverside home, followed by theft and an attempted escape across state lines.
Acting Erie County District Attorney Michael J. Keane announced the indictment of 56-year-old James D. Dietz of Cheektowaga. Dietz faces charges of Murder in the Second Degree, Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle, and Petit Larceny after the alleged killing of Michael R. Fronczak in his Riverside home.
On August 17, 2024, Buffalo Police responded to a welfare check at a residence on Henrietta Avenue, where they discovered Fronczak’s body in the basement. The Erie County Medical Examiner’s Office determined that Fronczak died from blunt force trauma, allegedly inflicted by Dietz using his fists and a lamp.
Dietz is also accused of stealing the victim’s wallet and vehicle before fleeing to South Carolina. He was apprehended by the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office on August 21, 2024, and returned to Western New York after waiving extradition.
Dietz has been held without bail. If convicted on the murder charge, he could face 25 years to life in prison.
The investigation was led by Buffalo Police Detectives Scott Malec and Mark White, with assistance from the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office. The case will be prosecuted by Chief Gary Hackbush and Assistant District Attorney Christopher S. Safulko.
As with all defendants, Dietz is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
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