Long Island body parts suspect is jailed after violating parole by shoplifting - but other three suspects remain free thanks to laxed New York bail laws

One of the suspects in the Long Island body parts case has been jailed after violating parole by shoplifting - but the other three suspects remain free thanks to laxed New York bail laws.

Amanda Wallace, 40, is one of the four defendants charged with concealing a human corpse and tampering with evidence earlier this month. 

The bodies were those of Malcolm Craig Brown, 53, and Donna Conneely, 59, were found in Babylon Park earlier this month, a couple whose connection to the suspects remains unclear. 

None of the four have been charged with murder, and laxed New York State bail laws means they were allowed to go free on parole. 

Wallace was however taken back into custody on Friday after stealing nail polish and false eyelashes from a CVS.  

Amanda Wallace, 40, was arrested on Friday night, and charged with petit larceny on Friday for stealing items from a CVS, and is expected back in court on Friday 

Stephen Brown, 44, appeared at Suffolk County District court on Monday, and given the same supervision release conditions, and is due back in court on April 1

Malcolm Craig Brown, 53, and Donna Conneely, 59, were murdered before having their remains butchered and scattered in Babylon park, NY

Jeffrey Mackey, 38, and Alexis Nieves, 33, were all also arrested in connection to the brutal murders, and are scheduled to appear in court on Tuesday in Suffolk District Central Islip Court.

All four have been released back on the streets thanks to the state's 'no bail' laws with the exception of Wallace who was charged with petit larceny and is behind bars.

Suspects facing charges relating to mutilation and disposal of murdered corpses are no longer eligible for bail after New York reformed its bail laws in 2019.

Suffolk County DA Elect Raymond Tierney said the decision to free them with ankle tags was 'absurd' and blamed the 2019 'Bail Reform' law for the judgment.

Wallace was attached to her GPS monitor at the time of the theft. An employee of the store called police around 10.50pm. A short time later, she was arrested and charge with petit larceny, according to the Suffolk County Police Department.

Wallace, who admitted to the misdemeanor, told an officer she 'forgot' her money and 'didn't feel like walking back over,' as per court documents, Newsday reported.

Wallace was remanded by Judge James McDonaugh Suffolk District Court in Central Islip on Monday and cuffed.

Amanda Wallace, 40, and Steven Brown, 44, walking with attorney Ira Weissman 

Brown and Wallace walking into the courthouse on Monday 

At one point, Wallace is trying to conceal her face with her hand 

Judge McDonaugh told Wallace:  'At bare minimum, under those circumstances, I would think that Ms. Wallace would be able to get through nine days without being rearrested.'

Prosecutor Dena Rizopoulos, asked the judge that Wallace be held on a $10,000 cash bail on the petit larceny charge.

She told the judge Wallace was wearing her GPS monitor during the theft, and called it a 'total lack of regard to the court, people are going to ask that bail on the reset.'

Wallace's attorney, Keith O'Halloran told the judge that a remand and the $10,000 bail is an outrageous request by the district attorney's  office. 

He said his client is 'not in a position to post exorbitant bail.' He asked a lower bail be set that would not amount to automatic remand.

 O’Halloran, entered a plea of not guilty on the petit larceny charge.

But, Judge McDonaugh ordered Wallace held without bail on the body parts case for not complying with the conditions of her earlier release.

He also set bail for the petit larceny charge in the amounts of $5,000 cash bail, $10,000 surety bond or a $50,000 partially secured bond.

Wallace and her boyfriend, Steven Brown, 44, Jeffrey Mackey, 38, and Alexis Nieves, 33, were all released without bail earlier this month after a severed head and arms were found in two parks in Suffolk County.

On February 26 and March 5, police found the severed body parts in West Babylon and in Babylon, Bethpage State Park.

The defendants were all charged with first-degree hindering prosecution, tampering with physical evidence by concealing or destroying, and concealment of a human corpse.

On Monday, defendant Steven Brown appeared in court with his attorney Ira Weismann.

Judge McDonaugh said he was extending his supervised released status and stated that condition remains the same including, wearing his supervised electronic monitoring device at all time, and staying in Suffolk County.

Brown was ordered back in court on April 1. 

After the hearing, Weismann told the media that his client was cooperating with his parole requirements.

Wallace is due back in court on Friday.

After the hearing, Brown walked out of the courtroom with his attorney. His eyes were focused on the floor, as he walked and did not respond to any questions, specifically how he felt leaving the court house without Wallace.

Wallace's attorney briefed a group of reporters outside the courtroom and said the district attorney's office filed new charges against his client.

'Based on those new charges he asked that Wallace be held without bail,' O'Halloran said.' 'The judge granted that application.'

'So again, we need to start a new investigation. We have no paperwork on the new cases. We have no discovery on the old case. '

'We're still looking for the information that would tie her to either of these two cases. We're going to have to review whether or not the judge acted properly in remanding her without bail.'

He added: 'The district attorney's office hasn't provided us with any discovery or any evidence on the original case so we have no knowledge of what the prosecutor was talking about there.' 

O'Halloran confirmed Brown and Wallace are in a relationship. 

He said that she has children, though remains unclear the number of children Wallace has, and if Brown, who also lives in Amityville, is the father to any of those children.

He said that he has not represented her in family court.