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Amherst man sentenced to prison following fatal house fire in 2020

"The intended victim was not home at the time of the arson, but her mother was asleep in a nearby bedroom of their shared apartment," prosecutors said.

AMHERST, N.Y. — An Amherst man will spend the next five years in prison for setting a house on fire, killing a woman who was inside.

Officials said 50-year-old Daniel Martinez intentionally started a fire inside a home on Concord Avenue on Sept. 30, 2020, while 65-year-old Maria Galazka was asleep inside the home.

Galazka suffered burns and other injuries from breathing in smoke. She spent over a month in the hospital before she eventually died on Nov. 5, 2020.

"The intended victim was not home at the time of the arson, but her mother was asleep in a nearby bedroom of their shared apartment," prosecutors said of the deadly fire.

A Buffalo firefighter was also injured at the scene. He was taken to Erie County Medical Center, where he was treated and released.

In addition to five years in prison, Martinez also received five years of post-release supervision. He pleaded guilty to one felony count of attempted murder on July 11 earlier this year.

"The family of Maria Galazka has waited a long time for justice and wanted the defendant to receive the maximum sentence. Our office agreed and requested that the Court sentence the defendant to 25 years in prison. Unfortunately, the Judge imposed the minimum prison term," Acting District Attorney Mike Keane said in a statement.

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