Valhalla High School Alum Charged in Long Island Body Parts Case
News Based on facts, either observed and verified directly by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
One of the four suspects arrested in the Long Island body parts last week has ties to Westchester County.
Alexis Nieves, 33, was arrested last week along with the three other suspects in connection with human remains that were found scattered across Long Island, including in Bethpage State Park.
The Suffolk County Police Department announced last Wednesday the arrests of Nieves, Steven Brown, 44, Jeffrey Mackey, 38, and Amanda Wallace, 40. The four defendants were charged after police executed a search warrant at a home in Amityville.
Sources told The Examiner that Nieves, 33, grew up in Valhalla, and attended Holy Name of Jesus Elementary School and Valhalla High School. She graduated from Valhalla in 2009. Her current address was unclear, although published reports stated that she may live in the house in Amityville.
“I would say she was always on the defensive, which made her tough to get along with,” said a former Valhalla classmate of Nieves who asked to remain anonymous. “You knew even at a young age it was because she had it tough at home.”
Valhalla High School alumnus Reweina Tessema, 32, knew Nieves during their time at the school.
“She was frequently bullied by peers, and from what I saw, knew of her home life, she was not well-supported at home,” Tessema said. “I remember her spending a lot of time outside of home and at friend’s houses. She was a good friend to me and kind to my family. We all hope she will be cleared.”
According to law enforcement, the evidence at the Amityville residence included a meat cleaver, butcher knives and a significant amount of blood. According to officials, Nieves “went through lengths to conceal evidence.”
All suspects were released earlier this week with no bail but had to wear court-mandated GPS monitors. The failure drew sharp rebukes from Gov. Kathy Hochul and police agencies while Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney claimed that charges relating to the disposal of corpses are no longer bail-eligible due to the state’s bail reform.
Nieves and Mackey must continue wearing the GPS monitors until they are due back in court on Mar. 19.
Suffolk County police said the victims are from the same address in Yonkers and include a 53-year-old man and a 59-year-old woman. Their names have not been released.
Nieves was charged with concealment of a human corpse, tampering with physical evidence and hindering prosecution.
Nieves and Mackey pleaded not guilty on their charges in Suffolk County Court on Friday. According to Mackey’s attorney, John Halverson, they are in a relationship.
