Richard Leo Pleads Guilty to Murder in the 2nd Degree

Rochester, NY- On Friday, October 9, 2026, 37-year-old Richard Leo pled guilty to the indictment, which include one count of Murder in the 2nd Degree, for killing Daniel Fiero.

At 2:52PM, on January 31, 2026, Monroe County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to an extended stay hotel in the Town of Henrietta for reports of a dispute coming from inside one of the rooms. Upon arrival, officers discovered 37-year-old Richard Leo with blood on him. He was detained by deputies. As Monroe County Sheriff’s Deputies made their way further into the room, they located 40-year-old Daniel Fiero, deceased from stab wounds.

Following a thorough investigation, Monroe County Sheriff Deputies determined that in December 2025, Daniel Fiero was a truck driver who saw Richard Leo walking on the side of the road in the cold. After offering the defendant a ride, Daniel Fiero learned that Richard Leo was a homeless veteran. Daniel Fiero made sure that Richard Leo was fed and with shelter for the following month.

On January 31, 2026, Richard Leo violently attacked Daniel Fiero out of anger. The victim died from extreme injuries to his head and face and multiple stab wounds.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Patrick Gallagher, Chief of the Domestic Violence Bureau and Assistant District Attorney Kaitlin Hastings, of the Vehicular Crimes Bureau.

“Daniel Fiero was the kind of person we should all strive to be,” said Assistant District Attorney Patrick Gallagher. “When he encountered a stranger in need, he did not hesitate to offer a helping hand. What began as a simple act of kindness became an extraordinary display of compassion and generosity. Tragically, Richard Leo repaid that kindness with an unimaginable act of violence, brutally taking the life of the very person who had gone out of his way to help him. Daniel deserved so much better. My hope is that today’s guilty plea brings some measure of peace to Daniel’s family and friends, who will forever remember him not for the way his life ended, but for the remarkable person he was.”

“Daniel Fiero lost his life because he chose to help someone in need, and that is a tragedy that is difficult to comprehend,” said Monroe County District Attorney Brian Green. “His compassion and generosity were met with senseless violence at the hands of Richard Leo. No act of kindness should ever end in such a loss, and no family should have to endure the heartbreak of losing a loved one under these circumstances. I want to thank the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office and Assistant District Attorney Patrick Gallagher for their dedication to securing justice for Daniel Fiero and his loved ones.”

Richard Leo will be sentenced on November 16, 2026 in front of New York State Supreme Court Justice Stephen Miller.