Prosecutor: N. Amityville woman killed after making criminal complaint

A North Amityville woman was shot and killed in her sleep in August at the warehouse where she lived because she had refused to drop identity theft allegations against a female acquaintance, a Suffolk prosecutor said Monday.

David Newbeck, 33, of Massapequa, shot Mandy Jo Jenkins, 30, multiple times after Jenkins refused his orders that she drop a criminal complaint filed against Newbeck's girlfriend, Assistant District Attorney Robert Biancavilla said after Newbeck's arraignment in Suffolk County Court.

Newbeck later fled to Texas, where he was caught by federal agents last month shortly before he was to board a flight to Ecuador, Biancavilla said.

Newbeck, who pleaded not guilty Monday to second-degree murder and other charges, is the second person charged in connection with Jenkins' death on Aug. 23.

Her live-in boyfriend, Joseph DeFelice, 31, pleaded not guilty on Oct. 22 to second-degree murder, hindering prosecution and criminal facilitation.

Both DeFelice and Newbeck are held in jail without bail.

Newbeck's attorney, Stuart Austin of Mineola, said outside court there is "exculpatory evidence" that "points the finger at somebody else" as the person who killed Jenkins. He would not elaborate.

Jenkins' body was found Oct. 3 near railroad tracks in North Lindenhurst, Biancavilla said. She was identified through fingerprints.

DeFelice had reported his girlfriend missing on Aug. 23, then gave police six different accounts of her disappearance, prosecutors have said.

Biancavilla said Newbeck, who was under surveillance following Jenkins' death, inadvertently led police to her body on Oct. 3.

Police saw him stop at his father's store and leave with a shovel before he bought a pair of blue rubber gloves at a 7-Eleven store, Biancavilla said. Newbeck then went to the North Lindenhurst railroad tracks to dig up Jenkins' body, the prosecutor said.

He fled when he suspected he was being watched, Biancavilla said.

The next day, a friend drove Newbeck to Virginia, Biancavilla said. From there, Newbeck rented a car and drove to Alabama, then rented another car and drove to Texas, the prosecutor said.

Newbeck was extradited from Texas last week, the prosecutor said.

Before she was killed, Jenkins had filed a criminal complaint against Newbeck's girlfriend, Jennifer Russini, accusing her of stealing checks and bank account information from her, Biancavilla said.

Russini faces identity theft and bail jumping charges in Nassau County, where she is in jail after missing an Aug. 9 court appearance, according to online court records.

Russini is not charged in connection with Jenkins' death, Biancavilla said.