On Monday afternoon a jury in Chautauqua County Court returned the verdict of not guilty on the charges of second-degree murder and first degree manslaughter against 35-year-old Tyler Perez.

The verdict was the culmination of a five-year investigation into the April 2014 death of Nayla Hodnett, who died of blunt force trauma after being taken to the hospital by her mother. The DA’s office had argued that Perez was the last person to care for the child and as a result was responsible for her death.

According to the Post-Journal, the verdict was announced less than an hour after jury deliberations began. The trial itself lasted only three days from the time opening statements were given Thursday morning to the time that the verdict was read Monday afternoon.

No concrete evidence was provided by the prosecution that could definitely prove Perez was responsible for the injuries that lead to the death of Hodnett. Instead the DA’s office relied on the fact that the child was last in Perez’s care before her mother brought her to the hospital.

Perez maintained his innocence for the last five years and even rejected a plea deal from the prosecution on the opening day of trial.

Chautauqua County District Attorney Patrick Swanson released a statement following the verdict, saying that While he disagrees with the verdict, he has tremendous respect for the work of the jury and the legal process.

Tyler Perez

MAYVILLE – The the trial for a Jamestown man accused of killing a 16-month-old toddler over five years ago will soon get underway in Chautauqua County Court.

The Jamestown Post-Journal says jury selection in the case against 35-year-old Tyler Perez will begin today in Mayville.

Perez was indicted in March on a charge of 2nd degree murder after he was initially sent to the county jail without bail on a charge of first-degree manslaughter by an adult against a victim under the age of 11.

In April 2014, 16-month-old Nayla Hodnett of 218 1/2 Newland Ave. was taken to WCA Hospital’s emergency room by her mother before being flown to Buffalo Women & Children’s Hospital for further treatment. The child later died of her injuries. An autopsy determined the child died of blunt-force trauma.

A few weeks following the death Perez was named as a person of interest in the case but was not formally charged in the case until last March.

Perez is being represented by Chautauqua County Public Defender Ned Barone.

The trial is scheduled to be heard in front of Judge M. William Boller out of Buffalo.

Tyler Perez

JAMESTOWN – The Jamestown man considered a person of interest in the 2014 death of a toddler has been indicted on charges of second-degree murder and first-degree manslaughter.

The indictment against 35-year-old Tyler Perez was handed down on Monday and came after he was initially sent to the county jail without bail on a warrant Friday, stemming from a charge of first-degree manslaughter by an adult against a victim under the age of 11.

In April 2014, 16-month-old Nayla Hodnett of 218 1/2 Newland Ave was taken to WCA Hospital’s emergency room by her mother before being flown to Buffalo Women & Children’s Hospital for further treatment. The child later died of her injuries. An autopsy determined the child died of blunt-force trauma.

A few weeks following the death Perez was named as a person of interest in the case but was not formally charged in the case until Monday’s indictment.

The Jamestown Police Department says Perez pleaded not guilty when he was arraigned Monday and bail was set at $500,000 cash. He is being represented by Chautauqua County Public Defender Ned Barone.

Tyler Perez

MAYVILLE – The Jamestown man considered a person of interest in the 2014 death of a toddler is no in the county jail on Manslaughter charges.

The Jamestown Post-Journal says 35-year-old Tyler Perez was booked and sent to the Chautauqua County Jail Friday. He was brought into custody on a warrant involving a charge of first-degree manslaughter — by an adult against a victim under the age of 11.

In April 2014, 18-month-old Nayla Hodnett of 218 1/2 Newland Ave was taken to WCA Hospital’s emergency room by her mother before being flown to Buffalo Women & Children’s Hospital for further treatment. The child later died of her injuries. An autopsy determined the child died of blunt-force trauma.

A few weeks following the death Perez was named as a person of interest in the case but wan’t ever formally charged.

Perez was most recently arrested in May 2018  with a charge of second-degree menacing after allegedly threatening a woman during an incident at 408 Willard St.

Despite being booked on charges Friday, the Post-Journal says police could not comment on Perez’s arrest. He is currently in the county jail without bail.

Tyler Perez

JAMESTOWN – A man who was considered a person of interest in the death of an 18-month-old more than four years ago is back behind bars for violating probation.

Jamestown Police say 34 year-old Tyler Perez was charged Thursday night with second-degree menacing after allegedly threatening a woman during an incident at 408 Willard St.

During processing, police learned Perez was on probation in Pennsylvania for a prior weapons possession arrest and conviction and wasn’t allowed outside of the state.

Before his arrest in Jamestown and extradition to Pennsylvania in 2014, Perez had been named by Jamestown police as a person of interest in the death of 18-month-old Nayla Hodnett. After her death, an autopsy showed signs of internal blunt force trauma.

Perez was never charged in connection to the Hodnett homicide investigation and it remains unsolved.

Tyler Perez, considered a “person of interest” in the death of 16-month-old Nayla Hodnett, is still being held in a Pennsylvania jail on unrelated charges one-year following the child’s death.

JAMESTOWN – Friday marks the one-year anniversary of the beating death of a 16-month old Jamestown child, with no arrests yet to be made in the case.

Nayla Hodnett was taken to WCA hospital the night of April 16, 2014 by her, before being flown to Women & Children’s Hospital of Buffalo for further treatment. The child later died of her injuries the morning of April 17.

An autopsy at Erie County Medical Center determined the child died of blunt-force trauma.

While no arrests were made in connection to the case, a person of interest – identified as 31 year-old Tyler Perez of Jamestown – remains in police custody on an related firearm charge and is being held in a Pennsylvania jail.

Police say Perez had an on-again, off-again relationship with the child’s mother.

Police also say the mother – who no longer has custody of her two other children – may have sought help from others in the community prior to taking baby Nayla to WCA.

Jamestown police say the investigation is continuing into the case.

Tyler Perez

JAMESTOWN – A Jamestown man believed to be a “person of interest” in the beating death of a 16-month old girl has been arrested on unrelated charges.

On Wednesday, city police arrested 30 year-old Tyler Perez of Jamestown for being a fugitive from justice. The arrest is in relation his failure to appear in a Pittsburgh area court last April on a possession of a firearm charge. The incident reportedly involved Perez having a loaded firearm in the Pittsburgh area. Perez was arrested Wednesday morning at his father’s home at 739 E. Second St. in Jamestown.

Perez is believed to be in a relationship with the mother of 16 month-old Nayla Hodnett – the toddler who died from blunt force trauma during an incident that took place April 16 in her Newland Ave. home.

City Police have stated that the “on-again/off-again boyfriend” of the mother is a person of interest in the case, but have not confirmed if Perez is the boyfriend. However, several local news outlets – including ChauCat.com – is reporting that Perez is the boyfriend in question.

Perez is currently in the Chautauqua County Jail, where he will face extradition from authorities in Allegheny County, Pa. at a later date.