Person of interest speaks on tote death

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) - Almost a year has passed since a Niagara County woman's frozen body was discovered inside a Buffalo garbage tote.

Now, the man still considered a person of interest in her death is coming forward.

>>>Watch the full 27 minute interview with Antoine Garner here.

Antoine Garner insists he had nothing to do with the death of Amanda Wienckowski.

"She left my house walking, talking, breathing fine. I didn't do anything to hurt Amanda Wienckowski," said Garner.

He spoke publicly for the first time in almost a year when police declared him a "person of interest" in the case.

When asked if he gave Amanda a fatal dose, Garner said, "no." When asked if he cut her hair, Garner also said, "no."

The body of the 20-year-old former Lewiston woman was found last January stuffed in a Buffalo garbage tote.

She had been missing for five weeks, last seen alive after being dropped off at Garner's house, located directly across from where her body was found.

"I would like to know who put her there. The set up was incredible right across from my house," said Garner.

"I believe the person knew she came from here and overdosed where they did drugs at," he added.

When News 4 asked Garner what he thought of discarding a body in a tote, he had a one word answer - "horrible."

The medical examiner declared Amanda's death an accidental drug overdose, but her parents have been skeptical, noting that she was found naked, her hair had been cut and traces of a date rape drug were found in her system.

On the night Garner saw her, he claims she stopped by to buy drugs, not for sex as alleged by police.

"There was no sexual encounter that night. Nothing it was she wanted Oxycotin. She came to me for it that was it," said Garner.

Garner wants Amanda's family to know this, "Sorry for [your] loss. I never hurt your daughter and if she was around me, I'd never let anyone hurt your daughter."