DA: NY woman murdered man, tried to steal his home

NEW YORK - In what the Suffolk County district attorney called a "diabolical" plan, a Long Island woman is accused of murdering an acquaintance and then trying to scam her way into inheriting his house, officials said on Monday.

A grand jury indicted Donatila O'Mahony, 41, of Central Islip, for second-degree murder, criminal possession of a forged instrument, and attempted grand larceny, according to prosecutors.

"Her alleged actions were diabolical," Suffolk County District Attorney Timothy Sini said. "Not only was this defendant allegedly involved in the victim's death, but she then attempted to steal the very house he was murdered in."

Police officers found Lee Pedersen, 69, dead inside his home in Aquebogue on March 8, 2020, the DA said. An autopsy showed that he died of a gunshot sometime in the prior few days.

In June, O'Mahony gave a copy of Pedersen's will, which named her his executor and the inheritor of his house, to law enforcement, officials said.

But what she didn't know was that police had already obtained Pedersen's will right after his death. He had named a friend his executor and the beneficiary of his house.

Turns out that the copy of the will O'Mahony gave police was a forgery, Sini said. 

"Further investigation revealed that O'Mahony was allegedly involved in shooting and killing Pedersen, while acting in concert with another or others, on or about and between March 5 and March 8, 2020," the DA's office said in a news release.

On Monday, O'Mahony appeared in a virtual arraignment on a grand jury indictment. Justice Anthony Senft remanded her without bail and ordered her back in court on April 1.

FOX 5 NY contacted O'Mahony's attorney's office by phone and email to request a comment. This story will be updated if the attorney, Jason Bassett, responds.