Roommates Sentenced After Brutal Long Island Murders and Dismemberment of Couple

Three people who lived with Malcolm “Craig” Brown and Donna Conneely in Amityville, N.Y., have been sentenced after pleading guilty in the 2024 murders and subsequent dismemberment of the couple, whose remains were recovered across several Long Island parks.

Sentences and Pleas

On Jan. 13, 2026, Jeffrey Mackey, 40, pleaded guilty to two counts of second-degree murder and received a 22-year prison term. Alexis Nieves, 35, Mackey’s partner, pleaded guilty to a related charge and was sentenced to 11 years. Malcolm Brown’s cousin, Steven Brown, pleaded guilty to conspiracy and was sentenced to five years. A fourth suspect, Amanda Wallace, who had previously pleaded guilty to concealment of a human corpse, was sentenced in November 2025 to one and a half to three years with parole eligibility, according to state prison records.

What Prosecutors Say Happened

Prosecutors allege the killings occurred on Feb. 27, 2024, inside the Amityville residence where all six individuals lived. According to the Suffolk County district attorney’s office, Mackey repeatedly stabbed Malcolm Brown — including wounds to the neck and torso — and then stabbed Conneely when she tried to intervene, later strangling her. Authorities say Nieves struck Conneely with a meat tenderizer and also stabbed her; Conneely sustained multiple stab wounds to the neck and back.

Malcolm Brown/FacebookMalcolm "Craig" Brown and Donna Conneely

Investigators allege the defendants dismembered the victims in the home’s bathroom and disposed of remains at multiple locations. On Feb. 29, 2024, a student discovered a severed male arm at Southards Pond Park in Babylon Village; officials later recovered another male arm nearby and found a female head, torso, an arm and parts of legs on the opposite side of the park. More remains were recovered in West Babylon and at Bethpage State Park on March 5, 2024. The remains were later identified as those of Malcolm "Craig" Brown, 53, and Donna Conneely, 59.

Evidence Recovered

When police searched the Amityville home, they recovered a large folding knife, a large kitchen knife, two meat cleavers and blood in multiple locations, the district attorney said. Authorities contend the physical evidence and the discovery sites were central to building the case.

Mitigating Arguments, Sentencing Law And Reaction

Defense attorneys argued that the defendants had been abused by the victims, and judges applied New York’s Domestic Violence Survivors Justice Act (DVSJA) in sentencing, resulting in reduced prison terms. Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney criticized the application of the law in this case, saying in part, "And so far as the defendants suffered such abuse as defined under the DVSJA, the sentences were substantial, notwithstanding the absurdities of New York State’s defendant-friendly sentencing structure."

James Carbone/Newsday RM via GettySteven Brown and Amanda Wallace in Central Islip, New York, on March 18, 2024.

During his sentencing hearing, Mackey expressed remorse: "I really wish none of this had ever happened. I wish they could still be alive. I wish I had never met them. I apologize to family members, for I wish this had never occurred." Nieves also apologized.

Family members of the victims voiced outrage at the punishments. Malcolm’s sister Coreen described the crime as "heartbreaking" and "heinous," and said the five-year sentence for their cousin felt like "a slap on the wrist." His brother Charles added, "Can’t find words to describe what this has done to us. This has broken our family."

Support Resources

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or visit thehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential; assistance is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.

Reporting for this case drew on statements and court filings from 2024 and 2025, as well as local media coverage and state prison records.