Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - The Buffalo Police Department has provided additional context regarding the ongoing investigation into Officer Lance Woods, who has been charged for the alleged murder of his wife, Alexis Skoczylas, over the weekend in the Town of Lewiston.
Woods was arrested Sunday and is facing a second-degree murder charge.
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The Buffalo Police Department is conducting a comprehensive internal investigation to determine whether departmental policies, procedures, and professional standards were followed by personnel involved in this matter.
A captain in the Buffalo Police Department has been suspended with pay pending an internal review. This is the only captain referenced throughout the following timeline of events:
* - A timeline of known events as they pertain to the Buffalo Police Department follows (some times are approximate).
Saturday, Feb. 14
- Saturday a.m. – Alexis Skoczylas’ approximate time of death.
- 4:30 p.m. – Skoczylas’ mother calls Buffalo Police Department’s E-District and asks if someone can get in touch with Officer Lance Woods, because she does not have a phone number for him.
- 4:33 p.m. – The Buffalo Police Captain is alerted to the situation and given Skoczylas’ mother information.
- 4:42 p.m. – The Buffalo Police Captain calls the E-District lieutenant and informs the lieutenant that Officer Woods will have Skoczylas call her mother back in an hour. The lieutenant calls the mother and relays this information.
- 5:12 p.m. – Skoczylas’ sister calls the Erie County non-emergency phone number and is redirected to Niagara County.
- 5:30 p.m. – Skoczylas’ mother calls E-District and says she still has not heard from her daughter. She also relays that the Lewiston Police Department is on the scene at Skoczylas’ residence and that no one is home. She is directed to the Buffalo Police Captain.
- 7 p.m. – Lewiston police call E-District looking to speak to a supervisor. This information is relayed to the Buffalo Police Captain.
- 7:52 p.m. – The Buffalo Police Captain has a discussion with Officer Woods in-person at the D-District station house, and calls Lewiston police with him in her presence, confirming Officer Woods has two children with him.
- 8 p.m. – Shift change at D-District station house.
- 8:05 p.m. – Officer Woods leaves. The Buffalo Police Captain notifies E-District that he arrived with kids and that they are all leaving the D-District station house.
Sunday, Feb. 15
- Shortly after 12 a.m. – Lewiston police discover Skoczylas’ body at her residence.
- 12:45 a.m. – The Buffalo Police Department is informed that Skoczylas is a homicide victim, and Officer Woods is a person of interest.
- 1:10 a.m. – Buffalo police provide investigative resources to attempt to locate the vehicle Officer Woods was believed to be driving.
- 3 a.m. – Officer Woods is detained by patrol units from Amherst and Cheektowaga Police. Buffalo Police Department leadership learns that Officer Woods was at D-District station house before the shift change.
- 7:50 a.m. – Buffalo Police Commissioner Craig Macy officially notifies the Buffalo Police Department’s Internal Affairs Division (IAD) of the situation and the Department’s interactions with Skoczylas’ family, Lewiston Police, and Officer Woods.
- 8:57 a.m. – On-call IAD investigators are alerted and head out to the Lewiston Police Department shortly thereafter to follow departmental procedures relating to suspensions.
- 10:24 a.m. – IAD arrives at Lewiston Police Department, where Officer Woods is being interviewed by Lewiston Police Department investigators.
- 11:15 a.m. – IAD suspends Officer Woods with pay.
- 3:00 p.m. – The Buffalo Police Captain is relieved of duty for the day.
- 5:30 p.m. (approximately) – A search warrant to retrieve property is executed on Officer Woods’ locker by the Buffalo Police Department.
- 8 p.m. – The Buffalo Police Captain is officially suspended with pay pending IAD investigation.
Monday, Feb. 16
- Internal charges against Woods are drafted by the Buffalo Police Department and signed by Commissioner Macy.
- 7:03 p.m. – Officer Woods is served in-person by IAD investigators at Orleans Correctional Facility and suspended without pay.
This update was provided in accordance with Buffalo Mayor Sean Ryan’s commitment to transparency, with the department saying it remains committed to accountability, due process, and maintaining public trust.