Islip Terrace man pleads guilty to manslaughter in fatal knife attack on son-in-law

SUFFOLK COUNTY, NY — Eduardo Vega, 58, of Islip Terrace, pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter for stabbing his son-in-law, Roshane McLaren, to death in the driveway of their home, Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney announced.

Vega faces up to 25 years in prison following his guilty plea on Friday. His wife and co-defendant, Tanya Denis, 48, had previously pleaded guilty to hindering prosecution for helping Vega flee the scene after the stabbing.

“This defendant killed Roshane McLaren, his own son-in-law, and left his young grandchild without a father,” District Attorney Tierney said in a statement. “I thank the Suffolk County Police Homicide Unit for their thorough investigation that led to this confession.”

The fatal incident occurred on Sept. 27, 2022, when a verbal altercation between Vega and the husband of one of Denis' daughters escalated in the backyard of their home. Vega threw a lawn chair and threatened to hit him with a baseball bat. When the daughters tried to intervene, Vega punched one of them in the face. McLaren, 34, helped deescalate the situation and Vega left the house.

Shortly thereafter, McLaren learned that Vega had hit his wife during the altercation. When Vega returned home with Denis, McLaren confronted him in the driveway, where Vega stabbed him twice in the chest, piercing his heart, lung, diaphragm and stomach. McLaren was taken to South Shore University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Vega fled the scene but turned himself in to police on October 2, 2022, after Denis gave him money and drove him to the Brentwood train station. Denis pleaded guilty to third-degree obstruction of justice on September 4, 2024.

Vega is scheduled to be sentenced on October 16, 2024. He faces 25 years in prison followed by five years probation. Denis' sentencing date has not yet been set.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Elena Tomaro of the Homicide Bureau and Assistant District Attorney Veronica McMahon of the Major Crime Bureau. The investigation was led by Suffolk County Homicide Detective Michael Palumbo.

TOMS RIVER, NJ — Mary Carbone, 60, of Toms River, was sentenced to 10 years in the New Jersey State Prison for the manslaughter of Frank Stochel, 55, of Manchester Township, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer announced Friday.

The ruling followed Carbone's guilty plea to the charge, which she entered on July 8, 2024. The Honorable Guy P. Ryan, PJCr.P., announced the sentence, which requires Carbone, under the No Early Release Act, to serve at least 85 percent of her sentence before being considered for parole.

The case stems from an incident on February 24, 2020, in which Manchester Township police officers were called to a residence on 6th Avenue in the Pine Lake Park neighborhood of Manchester. Upon arrival, they found Stochel lying unconscious on the ground.

A subsequent autopsy performed by the Ocean County Coroner on February 25 determined the death to be a homicide.

An investigation by the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office Major Crimes Unit, the Manchester Township Police Department Criminal Investigation Bureau and the Ocean County Sheriff's Office Crime Scene Unit determined that Carbone and Stochel lived together in the 6th Avenue apartment. Investigators determined that several household items were used in the attack – including a wooden board, a heavy-duty tape dispenser and a shower curtain rod – consistent with Stochel's injuries.

Carbone was arrested on March 4, 2021 and charged with Stochel's death and has been in the Ocean County Jail since then.

“Although this defendant was originally charged with murder, legitimate evidentiary issues arose during our investigation that we could not ignore,” said District Attorney Billhimer. “After carefully reviewing all of the facts and in consultation with Mr. Stochel's family, who was comfortable with the outcome, we believe this is a just resolution.”

The verdict against Carbone marks the conclusion of the case after years of investigations and trials.

BROOKLYN, NY — A 52-year-old man was fatally stabbed early Friday morning near Rockaway Parkway and Brookdale Plaza in Brooklyn, police said.

Officers from the 67th Precinct responded to a 911 call at approximately 6:11 a.m. Upon arrival, they found the victim conscious and alert with two stab wounds to his back.

The man was taken by private transportation to Brookdale University Hospital and Medical Center, where he was later pronounced dead.

According to police, no arrests have been made so far and investigations are ongoing.