Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Man arrested for murder of Irish woman in New York

The victim, named by New York police as Sarah McNally, is understood to have lived in the US for several years.

Cate McCurry
Tuesday 02 April 2024 13:27 EDT
A man has been arrested by police in New York following the murder of Irish woman Sarah McNally (John Walton/PA)
A man has been arrested by police in New York following the murder of Irish woman Sarah McNally (John Walton/PA) (PA Archive)

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

A man has been arrested by police in New York following the murder of an Irish woman.

The victim, named by New York police as Sarah McNally, 41, originally from Co Longford, is understood to have lived in the US for several years.

She died after being stabbed at a bar in New York City on Saturday evening.

Upon arrival, police observed a 41-year-old-female with a stab wound to the neck and an unidentified male with a stab wound to the back and neck

New York Police Department

The incident happened at the Ceili House Bar, in Maspeth in the Queens area, where Ms McNally is understood to have worked.

Marcin Pieciak, 36, with an address at 76th Street in Queens, is charged with murder and criminal possession of a weapon.

A spokesperson for the New York Police Department’s Deputy Commissioner for Public Information (DCPI) said Mr Pieciak was arrested on Monday, April 1, just after 12.30pm.

No details of when Mr Pieciak will appear in court have been released.

In an earlier statement, the police department said: “On Saturday, March 30, 2024, at approximately 18.34 hours, police responded to a 911 call for an assault in progress at 69-56 Grand Avenue within the confines of the 104 Precinct.

“Upon arrival, police observed a 41-year-old-female with a stab wound to the neck and an unidentified male with a stab wound to the back and neck.

“(Emergency services) responded and transported both aided individuals to NYC Health and Hospitals/Elmhurst in critical condition.

“The 41-year-old-female was subsequently pronounced deceased by hospital staff. The investigation remains ongoing.”

A spokesperson for the Department of Foreign Affairs said: “The Department of Foreign Affairs is aware of the case and stands ready to provide consular assistance.”

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in