The gruesome case of a killer couple who brutally murdered their roommates in their Amityville home has come to a close with a shocking plea deal that spared them from life sentences. Jeffrey Mackey, 40, was sentenced to 22 years in prison, while his girlfriend Alexis Nieves, 35, received 11 years behind bars.
The couple, who confessed to hacking their roommates to pieces with meat cleavers, claimed that they were victims of abuse at the hands of the slain couple, Malcolm Craig Brown, 53, and Donna Conneely, 59. This defense allowed them to qualify for reduced sentences under New York State’s Domestic Violence Survivors Justice Act.
Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney expressed satisfaction with the sentencing, given the constraints of the law. He acknowledged the impact of the abuse allegations on the case, which added a chilling dimension to the already horrific crime scene where the dismembered bodies of Brown and Conneely were found scattered across Long Island.
The trail of evidence led investigators to a home on Railroad Avenue, where the fatal altercation took place between the two couples. Nieves attacked Conneely with a meat tenderizer, while Mackey fatally stabbed Brown. The bodies were then dismembered with meat cleavers by a third couple living in the home, Steven Brown and Amanda Wallace, who later pleaded guilty to felony charges related to the disposal of the remains.
Mackey and Nieves ultimately admitted to their roles in the murders, with Mackey pleading guilty to second-degree murder and Nieves to manslaughter. A sealed forensic psychiatric report detailed the alleged abuse Mackey endured from Malcolm Brown, shedding light on the tragic events that unfolded in the Amityville home.
As the sentencing concluded, Mackey expressed remorse for the devastating outcome, lamenting the day he met the victims. The case, with its heinous acts and complex dynamics, serves as a chilling reminder of the dark underbelly of domestic violence and the tragic consequences it can lead to.
