LI Body Parts Case: 2 Plead Guilty After Dismembering Pair With Meat Cleaver, Knives: Attorney

BABYLON, NY — Jeffrey Mackey, a Long Island man charged with murder for his role in a fatal 2024 stabbing that left the victims dismembered and scattered in multiple outdoor locations on Long Island, pleaded guilty Tuesday — as did his girlfriend Alexis Nieves, Mackey's attorney Anthony LaPinta told Patch.

Mackey pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and Nieves, to first-degree manslaughter, LaPinta said.

Mackey initially pleaded not guilty to charges including murder, conspiracy, hindering prosecution, tampering with physical evidence, concealment of a human corpse, and robbery, La Pinta told Patch in November 2024.

LaPinta spoke with Patch about the plea deal and said Mackey had been the victim of abuse: "The history and background of this case is far more detailed and complicated than what was initially reported at the time of Mr. Mackey's arrest," he said.

"Unfortunately, Mr. Brown and Ms. Conneely engaged in extensive and profound abuse of Mr. Mackey that had a direct bearing of the facts leading to their deaths."

He added: "Mr. Mackey was a classic victim of household abuse. He suffered extensive and profound violence at the hands of the deceased."

In addition, LaPinta said: "The expert forensic report by Dr. Alexandra Sasha Bardey thoroughly explained the horrifying history of domestic household abuse that fits squarely into the Domestic Violence Survivors law."

The Domestic Violence Survivors Justice Act is a sentencing mitigation statute passed in 2019 that gives judges the discretion to issue lower sentences to survivors of domestic violence who can establish that their abuse was a significant contributing factor to their offense, according to the New York State Office of Indigent Legal Services.

"We give a tremendous amount of credit to District Attorney Tierney and his staff for investigating and considering our arguments. His assessment and application of the law is spot-on accurate. The plea today was reasonable and fair in light of the compelling facts and circumstances."

Mackey is slated for sentencing on January 13 and faces 22 years in state prison, LaPinta said.

"This plea gives Mr. Mackey a chance at redemption. I am confident with the proper guidance and support he will live and productive and law-abiding life when he is released from custody," LaPinta said.

If convicted on previous charges, the pair would have faced life in prison.

In April, 2024 roommates Mackey, Nieves, Steven Brown, and Amanda Wallace were indicted for their various roles in the killings of Malcolm Craig Brown, and his partner, Donna Conneely, at their Amityville home in February after being arrested in March in connection when their remains were found scattered in Babylon, West Islip, and Bethpage, police said.

In September, 2024 Brown pled guilty to two charges of concealment of a corpse, hindering prosecution, conspiracy, robbery, and tampering with physical evidence in connection to the murder and dismemberment of Conneely and Brown, who was his cousin, Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney said.

Wallace also pleaded guilty in September, 2024 to concealment of a corpse and hindering prosecution in connection to the murder after helping the trio dispose of the body parts, according to court documents.

According to the investigation, on Feb. 27, Brown and Conneely, who were acquaintances of the four charged, were "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 DA said.

The investigation revealed that Mackey, Nieves, and Brown had reportedly planned to kill Brown and Conneely before they arrived at the Amityville home, Tierney said.

The four then reportedly 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, Tierney said.

A Newsday report said that Mackey stabbed the couple while Nieves beat one with a meat tenderizer.

The gruesome discovery rocked the quiet village where they were found, close to residential homes and the elementary school, police said.

According to Suffolk County police, the human remains found at Southards Pond Park in Babylon belonged to both a woman and a adult male, including a woman's arm, leg and head, and a man's two arms, which had tattoos.

The Suffolk County Medical Examiner determined that a severed head, right arm, left leg from the knee down, and a right upper leg found by a Suffolk County Police cadaver dog at the western side of Southards Pond Park on were believed to be those of an adult woman, police said.

According to Suffolk County police, a high school student was walking to school and discovered a severed left arm on the west side of Seagal Boulevard at the eastern end of Southards Pond Park, between Park Avenue and Mason Avenue.

The student called her father, who then called 911, police said.

Following an investigation by homicide squad detectives, a cadaver dog from the canine unit discovered a leg in a mound of leaves on the western side of the park near Graham Place; the same dog continued searching the east side of the park and found a right arm about 20 feet away from the original discovery of the left arm, police said. The remains found on the eastern edge of the park appeared to be male, police said.

Educators and parents worked hard that week to protect children from the gruesome discoveries unfolding close to their schools.

Police then located the Amityville residence where Mackey, Nieves, Brown and Wallace had reportedly been staying, the DA said. 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, Tierney said.

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, the DA said.

After their arraignments, all four 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, the DA said.

That decision sparked a heated debate on bail reform between Tierney and Gov. Kathy Hochul, with many other lawmakers speaking out.