SANBORN, N.Y. — A Buffalo police officer has been arrested and charged with second-degree murder following the death of a woman found inside a residence Saturday in Niagara County.
According to the Lewiston Police Department, officers responded to a home on Buffalo Street in Sanborn on February 14, 2026, to conduct a welfare check. Upon arrival, they discovered Alexis Skoczylas, 35, deceased inside the residence. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
Authorities subsequently arrested Lance Woods, 53, identified as an officer with the Buffalo Police Department. Woods has been charged with one count of Murder in the Second Degree. He was processed and transported to the Niagara County Jail, where he is being held pending arraignment.
In a statement posted on social media, the Buffalo Police Department confirmed that Woods was promoted to the rank of detective in 2017. Officials have not released further details regarding the circumstances surrounding Skoczylas’ death.
The investigation remains ongoing, and additional information is expected to be released as it becomes available.
