Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney today announced the indictment of JEFFREY MACKEY, ALEXIS NIEVES, STEVEN BROWN, and AMANDA WALLACE, for their alleged respective roles in the February murders and dismemberments of 53-year-old Malcolm “Craig” Brown and 59-year-old Donna Conneely, both of Yonkers.
“I would like to thank the hard-working men and women of the Suffolk County Police Department and my prosecutors for their tireless work in bringing this investigation to the point where we are able to charge the responsible individuals with murder and seek bail,” said District Attorney Tierney. “Those in law enforcement must do their jobs without fear or favor. Ethically, charges can and should only be brought when the facts and evidence are clear. I thank the team for ignoring the distractions and doing just that.”
According to the investigation, on February 27, 2024, the victims, who were acquaintances of the defendants, were allegedly violently stabbed after they entered a home located at 25 Railroad Avenue in Amityville. Brown was stabbed once in the neck and once in the torso, while Conneely was stabbed multiple times in the neck and back.
The investigation revealed that MACKEY, NIEVES, and BROWN had allegedly planned to kill the victims prior to them arriving at the Amityville home. The defendants then allegedly dismembered the victims’ bodies in the bathroom of the home, and then dumped the remains in Southards Pond Park, Bethpage State Park, and a wooded area in West Babylon.
On February 29, 2024, a witness discovered a dismembered male arm in the brush at Southards Pond Park in Babylon Village and reported the finding to police. Law enforcement recovered another male arm a short distance from the first, as well as a female head and torso, a female arm, and parts of female legs on the opposite side of the park.
Upon further investigation, police located the Amityville residence where MACKEY, NIEVES, BROWN, and WALLACE had allegedly been staying. Suffolk County police recovered several cutting instruments including a large folding knife, a large kitchen knife, and two meat cleavers. Blood was found in multiple locations throughout the residence.
On March 4, 2024, MACKEY, NIEVES, BROWN, and WALLACE were arrested on multiple charges including hindering prosecution, tampering with physical evidence, and concealment of a human corpse. After their arraignments, all four defendants were released from jail without bail because the charges they faced at that time were considered non-bail eligible under New York State law, meaning prosecutors could not ask for, and judges could not set bail.
On March 15, 2024, WALLACE was arrested for petit larceny for allegedly stealing beauty products from a CVS in Lindenhurst. Acting County Court Judge James A. McDonaugh ordered WALLACE to be held in jail on bail. That case is pending in Suffolk County First District Court.
MACKEY, 36, of Amityville, was indicted for:
- Two counts of Murder in the Second Degree, Class A-I felonies;
- One count of Conspiracy in the Second Degree, a Class B felony;
- One count of Robbery in the First Degree, a Class B violent felony;
- One count of Hindering Prosecution in the First Degree, a Class D felony;
- One count of Tampering with Physical Evidence, a Class E felony; and
- One count of Concealment of a Human Corpse, a Class E felony.
NIEVES, 33, of Amityville, was indicted for:
- One count of Murder in the Second Degree, a Class A-I felony;
- One count of Conspiracy in the Second Degree, a Class B felony;
- One count of Hindering Prosecution in the First Degree, a Class D felony;
- One count of Tampering with Physical Evidence, a Class E felony; and
- One count of Concealment of a Human Corpse, a Class E felony.
BROWN, 44, of Amityville, was indicted for:
- One count of Conspiracy in the Second Degree, a Class B felony;
- One count of Robbery in the First Degree, a Class B violent felony;
- One count of Hindering Prosecution in the First Degree, a Class D felony;
- One count of Tampering with Physical Evidence, a Class E felony; and
- One count of Concealment of a Human Corpse, a Class E felony.
WALLACE, 40, of Amityville, was indicted for:
• One count of Robbery in the First Degree, a Class B violent felony;
• One count of Hindering Prosecution in the First Degree, a Class D felony;
• One count of Tampering with Physical Evidence, a Class E felony; and
• One count of Concealment of a Human Corpse, a Class E felony.
On April 26, 2024, at their arraignments on the indictment, Supreme Court Justice John B. Collins ordered MACKEY be remanded during the pendency of the case. MACKEY is due back in court on June 3, 2024. He is being represented by John Halverson, Esq.
Justice Collins ordered NIEVES held on $1 million cash, $10 million bond or $10 million partially secured bond. NIEVES is being represented by Christopher Gioe, Esq. Her next court date is June 3, 2024.
BROWN is due back in court on April 30, 2024, and he is being represented by Ira Weissman, Esq.
WALLACE is due back in court on April 30, 2024, and she is being represented by Keith O’Halloran, Esq.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Frank Schroeder and Dena Rizopoulos of the Homicide Bureau, and the investigation was conducted by Detective Kenneth Buckheit of the Suffolk County Police Department’s Homicide Squad.
Criminal complaints and indictments are merely accusatory instruments. Defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty. No one is above the law.
