Final defendant in fatal Lake View stabbing sentenced

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — The final defendant in the 2022 case of a group of people luring and fatally stabbing a man in the woods in Lake View has been sentenced for her role in the crime, the Erie County District Attorney's Office said Thursday.

Elexus Dean, 22 and formerly of Hamburg, was sentenced to six months in jail and five years of probation after she pleaded guilty to one count of tampering with physical evidence in October 2023.

The group, led by 27-year-old Jared Adamski, lured 25-year-old Brenden Benoit into the woods off of Heltz Road in the early morning hours of July 10, 2022. It is alleged that once Benoit arrived at the wooded area, which the group told him was for a party, he was punched by one of the defendants and attempted to retreat into the vehicle to escape. During the attack, Adamski stabbed Beniot in the legs multiple times and then abandoned him in the woods. Benoit died at the scene.

Four people: Adamski, 20-year-old Kayleigh Skybyk-Schuh, 22-year-old Harrison Drozen and 22-year-old Connor Krone were all sentenced last week for their roles in the stabbing. Adamski received the longest sentence, at 25 years. A sixth defendant was previously sentenced for their role. WIVB News 4 reporting from 2022 identified her as Larissa Smith, then 18 years old.

Acting Erie County DA Mike Keane said last week that the case started with Skybyk-Schuh falsely accusing Benoit of sexually assaulting her, which led to retaliation from the group.

Upon Dean's release from jail, her probation supervision will be transferred to South Dakota, where she currently lives.