TOWN OF TONAWANDA, N.Y. (WKBW) — Nearly two years after two people were shot and killed inside a Town of Tonawanda apartment, the gunman has learned his fate.
36-year-old Kristina Perez and 51-year-old Antoyn Williams were shot and killed inside an apartment on Kenmore Avenue. Williams' brother was also shot but survived.
We spoke with their families in August 2023, one year after they were killed. Their families said what happened to them changed their lives forever.
On Wednesday afternoon, an Erie County Court judge sentenced Jamire Woods to 35 years to life in prison.
These two families were shattered after their loved ones were taken from them far too soon.
"I just miss her every day," Kathleen Perez, Kristina's mom said. "And it was one month before her 37th birthday so she'll forever be 36."
"This has crushed my soul. I'm not even the same person no more," Nikiya Mason, Atoyn's sister, said. "'Cause {Antoyn} that was our soul, that was a spirit and he was stolen away from us."
Perez and Mason both shared emotional statements in the packed and intense courtroom. Woods at times smirking and looking down at the floor.
"35 years to life. That's not enough. That's not nearly enough when you murdered him, you murdered them," Mason said.
"There's really never gonna be closure. There's really never going to be anything that says, 'Okay, this is done and the next day we're fine,'" Perez said.
Kristina's family describes her as a beautiful person. She was a daughter, a sister and a mother. She leaves behind two daughters.
"She's never gonna see me walk the stage. Graduate high school. She's never gonna see our children our grandchildren. She's never gonna see her fur babies grow up," Kristina's daughter, Makayla Perez-Morales, said.
"She just leaves behind a whole lot of people who loved and supported her," Perez said.
Antoyn's sister said he was a lively spirit. He too was a son, a brother and a father who left behind five children.
"My brother was like our happy space. He was like, the calm in the storm," Mason said.
The families said there is still a second suspect out there, so their fight for justice doesn't stop here.
"We're gonna keep fighting until he's arrested. We're gonna make sure that you know we get the justice," Perez said. "You know, no matter what we say or do it's not going to bring her back. But at least at the end of the day, we can hopefully get some justice for her and Tony."
"We're gonna fight this fight to the end. There's no stopping. We're not stopping," Mason said.
