Moises Cortijo, 49, of Buffalo was sentenced Oct. 13, 2026, to an indeterminate term of 15 years to life in prison after being convicted in the 2025 fatal shooting of a man on the city’s West Side, Erie County District Attorney Michael J. Keane announced Wednesday.
State Supreme Court Justice Debra Givens imposed the sentence. Cortijo was convicted in July 2026 by a jury that found him guilty of one count of murder in the second degree, a Class A-I felony, and one count of criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree, a Class C violent felony. Jurors returned guilty verdicts after less than two hours of deliberation following a two-day trial.
The shooting occurred about 5 p.m. on Sunday, July 13, 2025, on the 300 block of Busti Avenue. The victim, 35-year-old David Ortiz-Ramos, was taken by ambulance to ECMC, where he was pronounced dead. The investigation determined Cortijo was a participant in the fatal shooting, Keane said.
Keane commended Detective Mark White, Detective Franklyn King and members of the Buffalo Police Department for their work on the investigation. The case was prosecuted by Chief Christopher S. Safulko of the Major Crimes Bureau and Chief Nicholas Marino of the Raise the Age/Motor Vehicle Theft Insurance Fraud Unit, the district attorney said.
No defense comment or additional court documents were provided with the announcement.
