Falls man gets 20 years to life in 2023 murder

Sept. 26—LOCKPORT — A Falls man will spend at least two decades in prison for the murder of a woman in a Niagara Falls Boulevard motel room.

Niagara County Court Judge John Ottaviano on Thursday sentenced Brian W. Wallace, 37, to 20 years to life in prison for the stabbing death of Lauren Hayes. Wallace previously pleaded guilty to a single count of second-degree murder as part of a plea deal with Niagara County prosecutors.

“Ms. Hayes’ life came to a terrible and tragic end at the hands of this defendant in this hotel room,” Niagara County Prosecutor Brian Seaman said after the sentencing. “This crime certainly deserves the sentence handed down by the court.”

As part of his plea deal, Wallace admitted to stabbing Hayes, 38, to death on Feb. 21, 2023, after what homicide investigators initially said was a disagreement.

In exchange for the guilty plea, Ottaviano agreed to sentence Wallace to 20 years to life in prison.

Wallace was initially indicted by a Niagara County grand jury on single counts of second-degree intentional murder, second-degree felony murder, two counts of predatory sexual assault and one count of sexual misconduct in Hayes’ murder.

Falls Police patrol officers said this shortly after 2 a.m. on Feb. 21, 2023, after being called to a motel in the 9800 block of Niagara Falls Boulevard for the report that a “female had been stabbed. Officers said when they arrived they found Hayes’ body in one of the motel rooms.

She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Falls police Criminal Investigation Division detectives said patrol officers also encountered Wallace, who they said “was in the same room as (Hayes).” Investigators said Wallace and Hayes “knew each other.”

After interviewing Wallace and “examining evidence recovered from the crime scene,” detectives said they arrested Wallace and charged him.