The Heartbreaking Case of Amanda Lynn Wienckowski
In December 2008, 20-year-old Amanda Lynn Wienckowski disappeared from the Buffalo, New York area. A Kenmore native, Amanda was remembered by family and friends as a vibrant, compassionate young woman with a big heart and a promising future ahead of her.
She was last seen with a man named Antoine Garner. Just weeks later, on January 9, 2009, her body was discovered in a shocking and undignified way — stuffed inside a plastic storage tote, left outside a church on the East Side of Buffalo, directly across the street from Garner’s home.
What should have been a clear-cut homicide investigation quickly became one of Buffalo’s most controversial and frustrating cases.
The Official Ruling vs. A Family’s Battle
The Erie County Medical Examiner ruled Amanda’s death an accidental overdose.
From the very beginning, her family, led by her devoted mother Leslie Brill-Meserole, refused to accept this conclusion. They pointed to numerous red flags: the way her body was discarded, signs of trauma, and the suspicious circumstances surrounding her death.
Desperate for answers, the family commissioned a second independent autopsy. The results were devastating and far more disturbing. The private pathologist found evidence consistent with strangulation, blunt force trauma, and other injuries that strongly suggested homicide rather than a simple accidental overdose.
Despite this, the official cause of death has never been changed.
A Mother’s Tireless Fight
For more than 16 years, Leslie Brill-Meserole has fought relentlessly for her daughter. She has attended countless meetings with officials, spoken at public hearings, and begged for the case to be properly investigated as a homicide. She has pushed for the death certificate to be amended and for authorities to take a fresh look at the evidence.
Her pleas have largely been met with silence.
Adding to the family’s heartbreak and frustration is the fact that Antoine Garner — the last person known to have been with Amanda — has since been convicted of violent crimes against other women and is currently serving time in prison.
Amanda Lynn’s Law: A Legacy of Change
Out of this unimaginable tragedy, something positive did emerge. In Amanda’s memory, legislation known as “Amanda Lynn’s Law” was introduced and eventually passed. The law makes it a felony (instead of a misdemeanor) to improperly dispose of a human body, aiming to prevent other families from enduring the same pain caused by the way Amanda was found.
While this legislative victory brought some comfort, it has never been enough for Amanda’s loved ones, who continue to seek full justice and truth about what really happened to her.
Still Waiting for Answers
Amanda Lynn Wienckowski deserved so much better. She was a young woman who had already overcome significant struggles and was trying to build a better life. Instead, her story became one of institutional indifference, conflicting medical opinions, and a family forced to fight alone for basic accountability.
More than 16 years later, her case remains a painful symbol of how justice can sometimes feel out of reach. Her mother and family continue their fight, hoping that one day the truth will prevail and Amanda’s death will finally be properly recognized for what they believe it was.
Amanda Lynn Wienckowski
1988 – 2008
Gone too soon, but never forgotten. Her memory lives on through her mother’s unwavering strength and the continued call for justice in her name. 💔
If you have any information about Amanda’s case, please contact the Buffalo Police Department or the Erie County District Attorney’s Office.
