Pennsylvania man indicted on murder and attempted murder charges for two separate incidents on LaSalle Avenue

Rick Pfeiffer -, Niagara Gazette, Niagara Falls, N.Y.
·2 min read

Feb. 3—LOCKPORT — A Niagara County grand jury has indicted a Pennsylvania man, charging him in connection with the first homicide of 2023 in Niagara Falls.

The panel handed up an indictment that charges Dominique L. Castile, 34, of Centerville, Pennsylvania, with single counts of second-degree murder, attempted second-degree murder and first-degree assault. Castile pleaded not guilty to the charges during an arraignment in Niagara County Court.

Judge John Ottaviano ordered Castile held without bail, after First Assistant District Attorney Doreen Hoffmann argued that Castile represented a "flight risk" since he reportedly has "no ties" to the Niagara Region.

Falls Police Criminal Investigation Division detectives believe that Castile was attempting to flee the area at the time he was taken into custody in Amherst.

Detectives identified Castile as their prime suspect shortly after discovering the homicide in the early morning hours of New Year's Day at a home in the 2200 block of LaSalle Avenue. After issuing a bulletin to local law enforcement agencies, identifying Castile as the suspect in a homicide, Town of Amherst police notified Falls police that they had the suspect in custody.

Amherst Police said they encountered Castile during a traffic stop, which led to his being taken into custody and the filing of separate criminal charges there. Castile was turned over to Falls police and his charges in Amherst remain pending.

Castile is accused of involvement in two stabbing incidents that occurred at the same location, one on Dec. 28 and the second, the New Year's Day murder.

On the night Dec. 28, Castile is accused of attacking a 33-year-old man, in the victim's apartment, and stabbing him. The victim was rushed to the Erie County Medical Center in Buffalo, where he was last reported to be in stable condition.

In the early morning of New Year's Day, Falls Police patrol officers and first responders were called to the scene of the previous stabbing, for a report of another man stabbed there. The victim was a different 33-year-old male, who was pronounced dead a the scene from stab wounds.

The name of the murder victim has not yet been released.