Staff Report / February 3, 2026
Henrietta – A Penn Yan man was found dead Saturday afternoon inside a Monroe County hotel room following a reported dispute, and a Rochester man now faces a second-degree murder charge in connection with the incident, authorities said.
The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call about a disturbance at the Extended Stay America on Commons Way just before 3 p.m. on Saturday. Deputies arriving at the scene discovered 40-year-old Daniel Fiero of Penn Yan suffering from multiple stab wounds inside a hotel room.
Inside the room, law enforcement found 36-year-old Richard Leo of Rochester with visible blood on his clothing. Leo was immediately taken into custody without incident and transported to the sheriff’s office for questioning.
Following interviews and an ongoing investigation, detectives charged Leo with second-degree murder in connection with Fiero’s death. Officials have not publicly released details about the events leading up to the fatal confrontation.
Sheriff’s deputies continued processing the hotel room late into the afternoon as part of the effort to reconstruct the sequence of events that culminated in the stabbing. At this time, investigators have characterized the incident as isolated with no ongoing threat to public safety.
Leo was arraigned Sunday morning and is being held without bail pending further court proceedings. His next scheduled appearance is set for later this week.
No additional details have been released, and the investigation remains active.
