BUFFALO, N.Y. — A Niagara Falls man has been sentenced to 20 years to life in prison for stabbing and killing his ex-girlfriend.
Keith Sparks, 45, pleaded guilty in September to one count of murder in the second degree in Erie County Court.
Investigators say Sparks stabbed Malicia Tipps, 38, inside the Sears store at the McKinley Mall in Hamburg on September 25, 2019.
Erie County District Attorney John Flynn said Sparks called Tipps while she was on her way to the mall to buy a new stove and he (Sparks) decided to follow her. Flynn says Sparks tried to first shoot Tipps while she was in a car, but the gun jammed.
Flynn says Tipps and a friend ran away from Sparks, but separated when they ran inside the mall. Tipps ended up in Sears where Sparks found her and stabbed her.
"He came prepared, unfortunately, with a gun and knife," explained Flynn after the sentencing on Friday.
After Sparks stabbed Tipps, Flynn says Sparks went home to Niagara Falls where police found him.
"He barricaded, for lack of a better word, in his home and the Niagara Falls SWAT team kind of came and there was a little bit of a situation waiting him out outside of his home," Flynn said.
Flynn says Sparks was threatening to harm himself, but eventually came out and police took him into custody.
Before Sparks was sentenced, Tipps's aunt addressed Sparks. She said, "You will need to live with this for the rest of your life... My final wish for you to receive the maximum sentence."
"I think it all went as well as it could. Mr. Sparks did give a statement admitting everything he did the night he was arrested. He never felt anything but shame and shock and remorse and wanted to take responsibility," said Sparks' attorney, Paul Dell.
"I will pray that parole never lets him out, and that he does the life which is what he could get, and which is what I want," said Flynn.
The District Attorney also said Tipps was one of 13 domestic violence homicide victims in Erie County last year.
