Police in New York have apprehended a male suspect in connection with the murder of Sarah McNally, an Irish woman aged 41. McNally, originally from Co Longford, was mortally wounded by a knife to her neck during an attack at her workplace, The Céilí House pub in Maspeth, Queens, around half past six on Saturday evening. The suspect was someone she had been romantically involved with.
The New York Police Department’s Deputy Commissioner for Public Information (DCPI) confirmed that Marcin Pieciak, a 36-year-old resident of Queens, was taken into custody just after lunchtime on Monday, April 1st. He’s facing one count of murder and two charges of criminal weapon possession. Information is pending about Pieciak’s court appearance.
McNally was a ten-year resident of New York and had been at The Céilí House pub for nearly a year, after working at several Manhattan and Queens bars and restaurants. Maspeth’s Irish ex-pat community, which has been growing for decades, often frequents the pub.
Following the report of a female attacked by a male armed with two knives, a 911 call resulted in police coming to the Maspeth-based bar at 69-56 Grand Avenue on Saturday evening. They found a severely wounded McNally, and Pieciak, also injured by knife wounds, near the scene. Investigation revealed Pieciak’s wounds as self-inflicted.
Both McNally and Pieciak were taken to Elmhurst Hospital in a critical state, where McNally subsequently succumbed to her injuries. The pair had shared a residence on 76th Street, Glendale neighbourhood, for a number of months, with no previous reports of domestic problems.
Lorna Fitzgerald, a friend who shared her childhood and New York experiences with Sarah, expressed her disbelief over her friend’s demise. “It’s tragically hard to grasp that Sarah is no more. We grew up together and attended the same school. There’s familial ties too, as my mother and her father are cousins. Just last night, I was reflecting over our conversations,” Lorna shared.
When Sarah moved to New York after Lorna had just left, she was quick to impart knowledge about potential job opportunities and local hangouts. According to Lorna, “Sarah was able to adapt rapidly and make her mark in the Big Apple.” Her relationship with her mother was extremely affectionate and the two sustained a bond akin to best friends. Sarah had been contemplating bringing her mother to settle in New York.
Lorna added, “Sarah’s unexpected departure has shocked us all, it’s just unbearably cruel.”