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Eduardo Vega Faces Up to 25 Years to Life in Prison at Sentencing; Co-Defendant Tanya Denis Previously Pleaded Guilty to Hindering Prosecution

Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney announced on Sept. 13 that Eduardo Vega, 58, of Islip Terrace, pleaded guilty to Manslaughter in the First Degree, for fatally stabbing Roshane McLaren, his 34-year-old son-in-law, in the driveway of their Islip Terrace home. Vega’s wife and co-defendant, Tanya Denis, 48, of Islip Terrace, pleaded guilty to Hindering Prosecution in the Third Degree, for her role in the commission of the murder.

“This defendant killed Roshane McLaren, his own son-in-law, leaving his infant grandchild without a father,” said District Attorney Tierney. “I thank the Suffolk County Police Department’s Homicide Squad for their thorough investigation which led to this plea. Notwithstanding this result, our thoughts and prayers remain with the family and friends of Roshane McLaren.”

According to court documents and the defendant’s admissions during his guilty plea allocution, on September 27, 2022, Vega and Denis lived together with Denis’ two daughters, their husbands, and children. During the early morning hours of that day, Vega engaged in a verbal altercation with one of Denis’ daughter’s husbands in the backyard. The altercation escalated when Vega threw a lawn chair at him and threatened to hit him with a baseball bat. When the daughters tried to intervene, Vega punched one of them in the face.

The victim eventually deescalated the situation, and Vega then left the home on foot. While Vega was gone, the victim learned that Vega had struck the victim’s wife during the altercation.

A short time later, Vega returned to the home with Denis. In the driveway, the victim confronted Vega for hitting his wife. Vega then stabbed the victim in the chest twice, piercing his left lung, heart, diaphragm, and stomach. Vega immediately fled the scene. Minutes later, Denis left the home in her vehicle and located Vega. She then provided Vega with money and drove him to the Brentwood train station at which point he fled to Brooklyn. He turned himself into the Suffolk County Police Department’s Third Precinct on October 2, 2022.

The victim was transported to South Shore University Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

On September 13, 2024, Vega pleaded guilty Manslaughter in the First Degree, a Class B violent felony, before Acting County Court Judge Richard T. Dunne. Vega is expected to be sentenced to 25 years in prison followed by five years of post-release supervision.

Vega is due back in court for sentencing on October 16, 2024, and he is being represented by Christopher Gioe, Esq.

Denis previously pleaded guilty on September 4, 2024, to Hindering Prosecution in the Third Degree, a Class A misdemeanor. She was represented by Ian Fitzgerald, Esq.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Elena Tomaro of the Homicide Bureau and Assistant District Attorney Veronica McMahon of the Major Crime Bureau, and the investigation was conducted by Detective Michael Palumbo of the Suffolk County Police Department’s Homicide Squad.