BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — A Buffalo man has been sentenced to 25 years to life in prison in connection to a murder in 1978.
The Erie County District Attorney's Office announced that 63-year-old John M. Sauberan was sentenced before Erie County Court Judge Sheila A. DiTullio Tuesday, he received the maximum sentence of 25 years to life in prison.
The district attorney's office said Sauberan entered the 19-year-old Linda Tschari's home on the 100 block of Pooley Place on February 8, 1978, and intentionally caused her death by stabbing her multiple times. Tschari was found dead in the living room when her brother went to check on her later in the day.
According to the DA, Sauberan was linked to the crime through DNA evidence after his profile was uploaded to a national database following a felony conviction in Oregon. During the investigation, prosecutors found no evidence that he was known to the victim.
In October a jury found Sauberan guilty of one count of second-degree murder.
“The family of Linda Tschari has waited nearly 45 years for justice. I hope that this defendant being convicted and sentenced to a significant term of imprisonment provides her family with legal closure as they continue to mourn her untimely death and heal from this horrific crime. Solving this cold case homicide was truly a team effort that involved hard work and expertise. I want to thank the members of the Buffalo Police Department, both past and present, who never gave up on this case as well as the forensic biologists who found key evidence that led to this conviction."
