Glendale man pleads guilty to deadly stabbing of bartender at Maspeth tavern
QUEENS, NY — A man entered a Maspeth tavern, went behind the bar and stabbed a bartender 19 times, then pleaded guilty Thursday to first‑degree manslaughter in the fatal attack.
Marcin Pieciak, 37, of 76th Street in Glendale, admitted guilt for the March 30, 2024 killing of 41‑year‑old Sarah McNally at the Ceili House Bar, 69‑56 Grand Avenue in Maspeth. Prosecutors say Pieciak walked toward McNally while she worked, produced knives and inflicted multiple stab wounds to the neck, back and chest that caused catastrophic injuries. Pieciak then cut his own throat and tried to flee before a bar patron intervened and detained him until police arrived. When officers secured the scene they say Pieciak exited the premises still holding the knives and brandished them at responding officers before being disarmed.
The victim suffered a damaged carotid artery and a severed spine and was pronounced dead at a hospital. Pieciak pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the first degree in satisfaction of the indictment. Supreme Court Justice Ushir Pandit‑Durant is expected to sentence Pieciak on November 21 to 24 years in prison followed by five years of post‑release supervision.
The case was prosecuted by the Queens District Attorney’s Homicide Bureau. Assistant District Attorneys handling the matter are supervised by the bureau chiefs and by the Executive Assistant District Attorney for Major Crimes. The plea concludes a homicide case that drew sharp attention from the community and the victim’s family.
Key Points
- Marcin Pieciak pleaded guilty Thursday to first‑degree manslaughter for the March 30, 2024 stabbing death of bartender Sarah McNally at Ceili House Bar in Maspeth
- Prosecutors say Pieciak stabbed McNally 19 times, then injured himself and was detained by a patron before police disarmed him
- Pieciak faces an expected sentence of 24 years in prison plus five years of post‑release supervision when sentenced November 21
