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Amanda Wallace, age 40, was caught shoplifting at a CVS store in Lindenhurst on Friday night, March 15, according to Suffolk County Police.
An employee called 911 at around 10:50 p.m. saying a woman was stealing beauty products from the store, located on East Montauk Highway.
Police arrested Wallace a short time later on suspicion of petit larceny. She was arraigned in Suffolk County Court on Monday, March 18, where a judge ordered her jailed on $5,000 bond.
Wallace’s arrest came nearly two weeks after she and three others were taken into custody at an Amityville residence in connection with the death of 59-year-old Donna Conneely and a male victim yet to be publicly named.
Severed body parts from both victims were first discovered on Thursday, Feb. 29, at Babylon’s Southards Pond Park. Homicide detectives located additional remains on Tuesday, March 5, at Bethpage State Park and in a wooded residential area in West Babylon.
In addition to Wallace, the following people were charged with hindering prosecution, tampering with evidence, and concealing a human corpse:
- Steven Brown, age 44
- Jeffrey Mackey, age 38
- Alexis Nieves, age 33
The case sparked further outrage when all four suspects were released from custody with GPS monitoring devices as their charges were not eligible for bail under changes to state law that were passed in 2019.
"Unfortunately, due to ‘bail reform’ passed by the New York State Legislature in 2019, charges relating to the mutilation and disposal of murdered corpses are no longer bail-eligible, meaning my prosecutors cannot ask for bail,” said Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney.
“This is yet another absurd result thanks to ‘bail reform’ and a system where the legislature in Albany substitutes their judgment for the judgment of our judges and the litigants in court.”
The suspects’ release prompted Long Island Republican State Sen. Anthony Palumbo to introduce new legislation that would make dismembering or concealing a human corpse a felony.
“Nobody with an ounce of sensibility would say it’s a good idea to let someone charged with the sickening act of human dismemberment leave jail and roam the streets," Palumbo said.
Anyone with tips in the case is asked to contact the Suffolk County Police Department at 631-852-6392 or call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-220-Tips. All calls will remain anonymous.
This continues to be a developing story. Check back to Daily Voice for updates.
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