Long Island man pleads guilty to stabbing his son-in-law during an argument

A Long Island man admitted to stabbing his son-in-law to death in the driveway of their Islip Terrace home two years ago, authorities said Friday.

Eduardo Vega, 58, pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter in connection with the death of 34-year-old Rosahne McLaren, Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney said in a news release.

The stabbing occurred on Sept. 27, 2022, in the home Vega shared with his wife, Tanya Denis. Their two adult daughters, their husbands and children also lived in the apartment, court documents show.

In the early hours of that day, Vega got into an argument with McLaren, during which he threw a lawn chair at him and threatened to hit him with a baseball bat.

When Denis' daughters tried to intervene, Vega punched one of them – McLaren's wife – in the face.

McLaren, who had not seen the woman being beaten, was eventually able to calm the situation down. But when he learned that Vega had beaten his wife, he confronted his father-in-law.

During this altercation, Vega stabbed the McLaren twice in the chest – puncturing his left lung, heart, diaphragm and stomach – and then fled the scene.

McLaren was taken to South Shore University Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.

Shortly after the incident, Denis left the house in her car, found Vega, drove him to a train station and gave him some money, officials said.

Vega subsequently fled to Brooklyn, but turned himself in to Suffolk County police five days later.

On Friday, he pleaded guilty to manslaughter before District Judge Richard T. Dunne.

He is due to appear in court again on October 16. He will then be sentenced to 25 years in prison, followed by five years' probation.

His wife pleaded guilty to obstructing prosecution last week.