NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. — Niagara Falls Police had said they would investigating Jessie Richardson's December death as a homicide.
On Wednesday night, they confirmed that the 69-year-old restaurant owner's death was officially ruled a homicide.
A community leader who owned Richardson's restaurant on Highland Avenue, Richardson was found dead on his bedroom floor at around 9:40 a.m. on Christmas Eve.
Family members say they found him dead with his gun in his hand, and they believe he was attempting to defend himself.
His family had said that Richardson was robbed multiple times at his business and his home.
"He was definitely set up, there's police reports on this there's police reports on him he had called police many times, and he had gotten paranoid and he was afraid for his life," Priscilla Richardson said.