Irish woman stabbed 19 times in New York pub as killer pleads guilty
Marcin Pieciak tried to take his own life after stabbing Ms McNally 19 times in front of horrified pub customers, one of whom then bravely tackled him.
The man who stabbed his Irish former partner to death has admitted his guilt - and is now facing 24 years behind bars.
Marcin Pieciak pleaded guilty on Thursday to the March 2024 manslaughter of Sarah McNally, 41, in the pub she worked in in New York - and will now be sentenced at the end of November.
But prosecutors said they expected Pieciak, 37, to be given a 24-year-jail term - as well as five years of post release supervision.
Pieciak has been in custody since the horror attack on Longford native Ms McNally at Ceili House Bar in Mespeth, Queens last year.
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz confirmed the guilty plea on Thursday - and said Pieciak stabbed Ms McNally, with whom he was previously in a relationship, 19 times in front of horrified punters.
And Ms Katz praised the bravery of a drinker who tackled Pieciak moments after the killer stabbed himself - and then tried to flee the bar.
Ms Katz said: “Marcin Pieciak walked into Sarah McNally’s place of employment and viciously attacked the 41-year-old.
“The defendant stabbed the victim 19 times, severing her spine, and then stabbed himself as he tried to escape the premises. Thankfully, a brave bar patron stopped the defendant and detained him until police arrived. This incident shocked the community and McNally’s loved ones. With this guilty plea, the defendant has been held accountable for his actions.”
She said that on March 30, 2024, at approximately 6:30 p.m., Pieciak arrived at the Ceili House Bar at 69-56 Grand Avenue in Maspeth. He walked toward Ms McNally as she worked, went behind the bar and stabbed her 19 times in the neck, back and chest causing significant wounds and bleeding.
Pieciak then cut his own throat several times with a second knife and attempted to flee, but a patron intervened and prevented him from leaving the premises.
When police arrived, Pieciak exited the premises with the two knives and brandished the weapons toward the officers.
Police safely disarmed him and recovered the knives. Ms McNally suffered a damaged carotid artery and severed spine and was pronounced dead at a local hospital.
Ms McNally was well known in Queens and her native Longford.
She is survived by her parents Des and Dorrie O’Connor.
Days after Ms McNally’s death, her mother told us: “My daughter was murdered. There is nothing else to say.”
She added: “What do you want me to say? My daughter was murdered. There is nothing else to say.
“I have nothing to tell, I am sorry.”
Ms McNally was later laid to rest in her native Longford.
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