The boyfriend of Longford woman Sarah McNally who was killed in New York last week has been formally indicted by a Grand Jury and accused of her murder.
Marcin Pieciak (36), from 76th Street in Glendale, Queens, had been in a relationship with McNally and has been held in custody after a stabbing incident at the bar she worked at in Queens last Saturday.
He was not present for a hearing at Queens County Criminal Court on Friday morning, with his legal representative, Garnett Sullivan, saying he was in still in hospital recovering from a number of self-inflicted stab wounds sustained in the same incident at the Ceili House Irish bar in Maspeth, Queens.
Mr Pieciak has been charged with murder in the second degree, and two counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree. If found guilty of these offences, he faces up to 25 years to life in prison.
He is scheduled to appear in court again on April 19th, when he is expected to enter a plea.
McNally died at Elmhurst Hospital on Saturday evening, shortly after arrival, having been stabbed in the neck.
Meanwhile, McNally’s funeral service will take place at St Mel’s Cathedral in Longford town on Monday morning, followed by a cremation.
She is survived by her mother Dorrie, father Des, grandmother Kathleen O’Connor and wide circle of family and friends in Longford and New York.
The family has requested donations, if desired, to the Kevin Bell Trust, the organisation which assists bereaved families to repatriate the bodies of loved ones who have died abroad in sudden or tragic circumstances.
- Join us for The Irish Times Inside Politics podcast live in Belfast on April 10th
- Sign up for push alerts and have the best news, analysis and comment delivered directly to your phone
- Find The Irish Times on WhatsApp and stay up to date