Queens Ledger Staff
Queens DA announces indictment of Glendale resident for fatally stabbing girlfriend at Maspeth tavern; suspect arraigned on murder charges as domestic violence concerns persist in NYC.
Marcin Pieciak, a 36-year-old resident of Glendale, was indicted on charges of murder and criminal possession of a weapon in connection with the fatal stabbing of his girlfriend, Sarah McNally, at a Maspeth tavern in March, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced.
McNally, a 41-year-old bartender, was tragically killed during the incident at Ceili House Bar, where she was working at the time. According to authorities, Pieciak allegedly stabbed McNally multiple times before inflicting self-harm.
District Attorney Katz condemned the act, stating, “The defendant is accused of cruelly and brazenly taking the life of someone he purported to care for and doing so in front of her colleagues and bar patrons. We are grateful to the grand jury for returning these serious charges and we will work to seek justice for Sarah McNally.”
Pieciak was arraigned on an indictment charging him with murder in the second degree and two counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree. Supreme Court Justice Ushir Pandit-Durant remanded the defendant and scheduled his next court appearance for June 18.
McNally, originally from Ireland, had been living in the United States for about a decade. The tragic incident occurred on March 30, around 6:30 p.m., prompting a swift response from law enforcement.
According to authorities, Pieciak arrived at the tavern where McNally was working and allegedly launched a violent attack, stabbing her multiple times before turning the knife on himself. Both were rushed to Elmhurst Hospital Center in critical condition, where McNally later succumbed to her injuries.
Details emerging from the incident reveal a harrowing sequence of events: Marcin Pieciak entered the Ceili House Bar on Grand Avenue in Maspeth, where Sarah McNally was bartending, and proceeded to stab her 19 times in the neck, back, and chest, as captured by surveillance footage. Following the attack, Pieciak turned the knife on himself, inflicting multiple self-inflicted wounds to his throat. Despite efforts to detain him, Pieciak confronted responding officers with knives, prompting them to safely disarm him.
Assistant District Attorney Gabriel J. Reale, alongside Assistant District Attorney Veronika Podoprigora, is spearheading the prosecution, with oversight from Assistant District Attorneys John Kosinski and Karen Ross, and Executive Assistant District Attorney for Major Crimes Shawn Clark.
The incident underscores ongoing concerns about domestic and interpartner violence in New York City. According to data analysis by Gothamist, such violence has been on the rise in recent years, claiming 71 lives in 2022 alone. Those experiencing domestic violence can seek support from the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233, which offers assistance in over 200 languages and operates 24/7.
