LI Body Parts Case: Man Sentenced To 22 Years After Gruesome Discovery In Park Shocked Residents: DA

BABYLON, NY — A Long Island man who pleaded guilty to murder in a gruesome 2024 double homicide that left two victims dismembered and their remains scattered in a park was sentenced Tuesday to 22 years in state prison, Suffolk County prosecutors said.

Jeffrey Mackey was sentenced to 22 years in prison, followed by five years of post-release supervision, after pleading guilty to second-degree murder in connection with the February 2024 killings of Malcolm Craig Brown and Donna Conneely at an Amityville home.

Mackey’s girlfriend and co-defendant, Alexis Nieves, was sentenced to 11 years in prison, followed by five years of post-release supervision after pleading guilty to first-degree manslaughter, officials said.

A third defendant, Steven Brown, was sentenced to five years in prison followed by five years of post-release supervision, the DA said.

The sentencing brings closure to one of Suffolk County’s most disturbing homicide cases in recent years, which shocked residents after body parts were discovered in the heart of a residential community and within feet of a school.

According to Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney, the killings occurred on Feb. 27, 2024, inside a residence at 25 Railroad Ave. in Amityville, where Mackey, Nieves, Brown, and another defendant, Amanda Wallace, were staying.

Prosecutors said Brown and Conneely, who were acquaintances of the defendants, were violently stabbed after entering the home. Malcolm Craig Brown was stabbed once in the neck and once in the torso, while Conneely was stabbed multiple times in the neck and back, the DA said.

The investigation determined that Mackey, Nieves, and Brown planned the killings before the victims arrived, prosecutors said.

After the stabbings, the defendants dismembered the victims’ bodies inside the home and disposed of the remains at multiple locations, including Southards Pond Park in Babylon, Bethpage State Park, and a wooded area in West Babylon, according to the DA.

The case came to light after a high school student walking to school discovered a severed arm near Seagull Boulevard by Southards Pond Park, police said. The student contacted her father, who then called 911.

Following the initial discovery, Suffolk County Police homicide detectives and a cadaver dog recovered additional body parts throughout the park, including arms, legs, and a severed head, police said. The Suffolk County Medical Examiner later determined the remains belonged to an adult woman and an adult man.

Police said the discoveries occurred close to homes and an elementary school, prompting school officials and parents to take steps to protect students as the investigation unfolded.

After tracing the remains back to the Amityville residence, police recovered multiple cutting instruments, including knives and meat cleavers, as well as blood found throughout the home, prosecutors said.

Mackey, Nieves, Brown, and Wallace were arrested on March 4, 2024, and initially charged with hindering prosecution, tampering with physical evidence, and concealment of a human corpse, the DA said.

All four defendants were released after arraignment because the initial charges were non-bail eligible under New York State law, a decision that sparked widespread public criticism and renewed debate over bail reform.

In September 2024, Brown pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including concealment of a corpse and hindering prosecution. Wallace also pleaded guilty to concealment of a corpse and hindering prosecution for helping dispose of the victims’ remains, court records show.

Mackey was represented by attorneys Anthony LaPinta and Marc Cohen. Nieves was represented by attorney Christopher Gioe, and Brown was represented by attorney Ira Weissman. The attorneys were not immediately available to respond to a request for comment.