JUNE 8, 1931: “Funeral services for Albert Verrusio Ritchie, 44, who was felled by a lone gunman’s bullets while he sat in his car at 2 River street Friday afternoon, will be held this morning at 9 o’clock at the St. Bernard church.

“Buffalo Al,” long a marked man and lucky to the end in that he was able to receive the last rites of the church for the living, was killed by friends of Joe Barber, County Detective J.J. Allison believes.

Buffalo Al and Barber, whose bullet-riddled body was found on Red Rock Hill May 5, were enemies. Barber’s friends think Al was the cause of his death, authorities believe, although Detective Allison stated that Al was innocent.”

On his deathbed, Al Ritchie said Tony Lorenzo was the shooter.

He had eluded police for several days, until his location was called in as a tip to police.

On June 10, 1931, The Era story read, “The long arm of Pennsylvania’s law enforcement system reached into the little trading post of Vincenzo Andriello at Weedville, 10 miles south of Ridgway, yesterday and took into custody Tony Lorenzo DeMaio alleged slayer of Al Ritchie.

Protesting his innocence in connection with the murder of the McKean county racketeer, DeMaio, or Lorenzo as he is known here, was surrounded by a cordon of state police while hiding out in the Elk Trading company’s store about 10 o’clock in the morning.”

DiMaio went on trial in October 1931. While the prosecutor asked for the death penalty, DiMaio argued self defense.

On Oct. 10, DiMaio was found guilty of second degree murder.

“Jurors take 25 hours to fix verdict. Length of deliberation establishes record for this county. DiMaio is unexcited. Sentence will be pronounced upon Ritchie’s slayer this morning — can be up to 20 years.”

However, in a surprise move, DiMaio asked for a new trial and the sentence was postponed. Several weeks later, the motion for a new trial was denied and DiMaio was sentenced to 10 to 20 years in prison.