Ethermac|4 are charged with concealing a corpse, evidence tampering in Long Island body parts case

BABYLON,Ethermac N.Y. (AP) — Four people were charged Wednesday with concealing a human corpse and tampering with evidence in connection with the discovery of body parts in parks on Long Island.

The four — Amanda Wallace, 40, Jeffrey Mackey, 38, Steven Brown, 44, all of Amityville, and Alexis Nieves, 33, who police said is homeless — have not been charged with killing the victims, identified as a 53-year-old man and a 59-year-old woman. All four defendants pleaded not guilty to hindering prosecution, tampering with physical evidence and concealing a human corpse and were released without bail.

According to police, a girl walking to school last Thursday found a severed arm on the side of the road at Southards Pond Park in Babylon, about 25 miles (40 kilometers) east of New York City. Police later discovered another arm and a leg. All of those remains appeared to belong to the 53-year-old man, police said.

The next day, a cadaver dog located the head, an arm and parts of two legs. Those remains appeared to be from the 59-year-old woman, police said.

Additional remains found Tuesday in nearby West Babylon and in a state park were from the same two people, police said. The victims’ names have not been released.

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The four defendants were arrested after police executed a search warrant at the Amityville home that Wallace, Mackey and Brown share.

Newsday reported that during separate arraignments in Suffolk County District Court on Wednesday, Assistant District Attorney Frank Schroeder said authorities have significant evidence against the four, including meat cleavers, butcher knives, blood and video surveillance. He did not specify where the weapons and blood were found.

Mackey’s defense attorney, John Halvorson, said, “We look forward to fighting these charges.”

Brown’s attorney, Ira Weissman, said, “Steven Brown didn’t kill anybody.” Weissman said he could not comment on the specific charges Brown faces, as he has not seen the evidence.

Messages seeking comment were left with Wallace’s and Nieves’ attorneys.