Prominent Allentown artists found dead in their home

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — Two people, both prominent artists in the community, were found dead in their Allentown residence Tuesday afternoon, Buffalo officials said in a press conference Wednesday.

Michael Harmon, 40, co-owner of The Good Stuff on Allen Street, and Jordan Celotto, 37, were found deceased at 5 St. Louis Place, according to Buffalo police.

“Mickey was an anchor of Buffalo’s LGBTQ+ community, a talented artist, and a dedicated leader in Allentown,” said State Senator Sean Ryan in a statement. “From Remedy House to the dance floor, Jordan will always be remembered for the welcoming presence and joy that he brought to countless friends and neighbors.

Police were dispatched to the residence around 4:30 p.m. Tuesday.

A friend called police after checking on one of the victims when they didn’t show up for work. Police said the friend spotted a person with a knife outside of the residence. When police arrived, the man dropped the knife after cutting himself. The 35-year-old person-of-interest was taken to ECMC and remains there under police supervision.

Police said the cause of death for Harmon and Celotto was blunt force trauma. On Thursday, police said “key pieces of evidence” have been recovered to help determine what happened.

Harmon and Celotto were a couple but officials said they have no reason to suspect it was a hate crime or that the person-of-interest was known to them.

“As district councilmember and as a member of the LGBTQ community, there is nothing that suspects that this was a hate crime,” said Council Member Mitch Nowakowski. “I want to put those tensions at ease. The individual is at ECMC so no one is believed to be at large.”

Both Harmon and Celotto were artists together in Allentown. Art was the centerpiece of their lives.

Harmon was known for his drawings of historic Buffalo homes and landmarks, as well as murals with LGBTQ themes and themes of giving.

“He was a staunch Buffalonian,” said Nowakowski. “He believed in our neighborhoods, he believed in walking and biking and not using a vehicle, he believed in artwork and bringing people together, having a ton of fun and evolving. This is a huge loss.”

Remedy House, a cafe on Buffalo’s West Side, made a post honoring Celotto, who worked there.

The homicides remain under investigation.

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Kayleigh Hunter-Gasperini joined the News 4 team in 2024 as a Digital Video Producer. She is a graduate of Chatham University.

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