MAYVILLE - Donald Saden, the 55-year-old man who pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter in connection with the 1971 murder of Vietnam veteran Robert James Stiffler, will be serving one to three years in prison for his part in the murder.
On Tuesday, District Attorney David Foley's office announced that Saden was sentenced by Judge Richard C. Kloch Sr., and explained that his office had argued for the maximum sentence.
"We had argued for the maximum sentence, which at the time of the incident, would have been 8 to 25 years," Foley said. "But at the end of the day, the judge made his decision and we were able to get some closure for the victim's family."
Stiffler, a Fredonia native who was 25 years old at the time, was found dead in a field off of Route 83 near Miller Road in Arkwright on Jan. 5, 1971.
The body was said to be lying face up, six feet from the road, where the passing truck driver who called it in could easily see him.
''It was said to be a cold winter that year and people weren't sure just how long the body had been there. But based on our theory, Stiffler and Saden knew each other through at least one female, and we believe jealousy was the motive for the killing,'' Foley said previously. ''Don also implicated his deceased brother Tom in the murder, saying that it was actually him who committed the act but that's something we may never actually know for sure.''
When the body was found in Arkwright following a short thaw, Stiffler's identity wasn't immediately known. Foley said they believe the killing took place sometime on New Year's Eve into the following day, after Stiffler, Saden and the unnamed female were partying together in downtown Fredonia.
Since Saden was only 17 years old at the time of the murder, he was eligible for youthful offender status, although Judge Kloch didn't grant him that status.
Saden was living in Austin, Texas, when he was arrested on Aug. 28, 2008, and according to Foley, the New York State Police kept tabs on him over the years.
"The state police really worked this case hard and if it wasn't for their efforts, we wouldn't have been able to prosecute it," Foley said. "We weren't able to get DNA from the evidence but since the case had peaked and people associated with it were starting to pass away, we decided it was time to move ahead. I am pleased that after all these years, we were able to bring Mr. Saden to justice. What this proves is that there is indeed no statute of limitations on a murder case, and that perpetrators of a crime will be held accountable and justice will be sought despite how long it may take."
