Glendale resident Marcin Pieciak pleaded guilty Thursday to manslaughter in the first degree for fatally stabbing his girlfriend, Sarah McNally, at a Maspeth tavern in March 2024, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced.
McNally was working as a bartender at The Céilí House when, according to the charges, Pieciak stabbed her, then slit his own throat. Pieciak, 37, of 76th Street in Glendale, pleaded guilty before Queens Supreme Court Justice Ushir Pandit-Durant, who is expected to sentence him on Nov. 21 to 24 years in prison to be followed by five years of post-release supervision.
According to the charges, on March 30, 2024, at approximately 6:30 p.m., Pieciak arrived at the tavern, located at 69-56 Grand Ave., where his 41-year-old live-in girlfriend was behind the bar. Pieciak was seen on video footage walking behind the bar and approaching McNally, whom he stabbed 19 times in her neck, back and chest, causing significant wounds and bleeding. Pieciak then cut his own throat several times and tried to exit the bar before a patron detained him from leaving the tavern until police from the 104th Precinct in Ridgewood arrived at the scene.
When police arrived, Pieciak came out of The Céilí House brandishing two knives at the officers, who were able to disarm him and recover the knives safely.
The victim was rushed to Elmhurst Hospital for emergency treatment of her extensive wounds, which included damage to her carotid artery and a severed spine. She was pronounced dead due to her injuries soon afterward.
Pieciak was also rushed to Elmhurst Hospital for treatment of his wounds.
“Marcin Pieciak walked into Sarah McNally’s place of employment and viciously attacked the 41-year-old,” Katz said. “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.”
Investigators said Pieciak attacked her because she was planning to move back to her native Ireland after 10 years living in Queens. She was laid to rest back home in County Longford.
“This murder shocked the community and McNally’s loved ones,” Katz said. “With this guilty plea, the defendant has been held accountable for his actions.”
