The 30-year-old man accused of killing his girlfriend and newborn son, then setting their apartment on fire, died by apparent suicide Wednesday night in the Erie County Correctional Facility in Alden, the Erie County Sheriff’s Office said Thursday.
According to a Sheriff’s Office spokesperson, shortly before 9 p.m. Kidane Haile “was located unresponsive in the showers of a dormitory at the Erie County Correctional Facility. Lifesaving efforts were unsuccessful, and Haile was pronounced dead by medical personnel at approximately 9:34 p.m.”
Sheriff’s investigators are treating the case as a suicide and notified the New York State Attorney General’s Office Wednesday night. An autopsy was scheduled for Thursday.
Haile was charged with murder and arson in the October 18, 2025 deaths of 29-year-old Kathleen “Katie” Carrig and 4-day-old Noah Carrig. The deceased were found by police and firefighters responding to a fire in the lower apartment at 428 Norwood Avenue in Buffalo’s Elmwood Village. Investigators say Ms. Carrig died of strangulation but they have not released the official cause of death for the infant.
“My office has been notified by the Erie County Sheriff’s Office that an inmate, Kidane Haile, died in pre-trial custody. Last night, the defendant was found unresponsive inside of the Erie County Correctional Facility. Despite life-saving efforts by correctional staff, he was pronounced deceased,” said Erie County District Attorney Michael Keane in a written statement. “While preliminary information indicates that the death was the result of an apparent suicide, it remains under investigation by the Sheriff’s Office and the Erie County Medical Examiner’s Office.
"The defendant, who is accused of intentionally killing his girlfriend and newborn baby, was pending prosecution by this office. Upon receipt of the death certificate, we will file a motion to dismiss the indictment.
“Our thoughts and prayers remain with the families and friends who have been impacted by this tragedy as they receive this difficult news. To protect the integrity of the ongoing investigation, no further information will be released by the District Attorney’s Office.”
In his last court appearance ten days ago, Haile’s defense attorney asked the court for more time to prepare a possible psychiatric defense.
