Utica man charged with murder after neighbor reports blood leaking from ceiling

UTICA, N.Y. — On Saturday, November 11, Utica Police units were dispatched to an address on the 100 block of Eagle St to a call of possible blood leaking from the ceiling.

As the officers arrived they spoke with the original caller who noticed that it was blood that was coming from the ceiling to his floor. Based on this the officers went to the apartment above to conduct a welfare check of the parties inside.

When they arrived at the upstairs apartment the officers knocked and announced themselves. Shortly after, a male exited the apartment covered in blood.

He immediately locked the door behind him and walked to the officers where he was promptly detained due to the nature of the call.

Officers were required to make entry to conduct a safety check of the apartment. Immediately upon entering they located a large pool of blood, and what appeared to be an area where something had been dragged throughout the apartment.

Following the evidence, the officers entered a bathroom where they located a deceased male in the bathtub. The Utica Fire Department arrived on the scene and ultimately pronounced the male deceased.

The officers then exited the apartment and the Major Crimes Unit and Crime Scene Unit were called to return to investigate the incident.

Upon processing the scene it was learned that the male was shot several times, stabbed multiple times, and suffered other injuries during the incident.

At this time the victim is not being identified pending familial notifications.

The male whom the Police Officers detained was identified as Colton Shaffer, 25 of Utica who has been charged with the following:

• Murder in the second degree
• Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the second degree
• Criminal Possession of Weapon in the third degree

Additional charges may be assessed in the future