By Eileen Buckley
Buffalo, NY – An Akron, Ohio man pleaded guilty in Buffalo federal court Wednesday to a murder-for-hire-case in Cattaraugus County.
56-year old Randall Knight appeared before U-S District judge William Skretny. He admitted to driving from Ohio to Cattaraugus County back in July of 1994 where he lured the victim to a back parking lot of an Ames Department in the Town of Yorkshire. That's where Knight stabbed Andie Gasper to death.
Knight admitted that the murder grew out of a long-term affair he was having with the victim's wife, Cheryl Gasper. Knight was acquitted in 1995. But the case was reopened by a Cattaraugus County Sheriff's cold case squad.
In an indictment filed in May, a Cattaraugus County Grand Jury charged Cheryl Gasper with assisting in the murder of Andie Gasper and, in pleading guilty, Knight agreed to testify against Cheryl Gasper at her yet-to-be-scheduled trial.
"I am very happy that justice has finally been done", said Cattaraugus County District Attorney Lori Reiman. Reiman commended the work of the FBI and U. S. Attorney's office which she believes made it possible for her office to prosecute Cheryl Gasper.
U.S. Attorney William Hochul says this murder-for-hire case is the first of its kind in Western New York. Sentencing is scheduled for November 3rd.
"Knight's plea is the result of the perseverance and dedication of law enforcement officers who refused to give up. While Randall Knight's guilty plea does not bring Andie Gasper back, it will hopefully provide some closure to his family", said Hochul.