NEW CITY, N.Y. — A New City couple has pleaded guilty to charges connected to the killing of a 73-year-old man in 2023, Rockland County District Attorney Thomas E. Walsh II announced Monday. Constantinos Doonan, 32, and Jo-Ann Haughey, 26, both admitted to their roles in the death of Doonan’s grandfather, Constantinos Mastakouris.
Doonan pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, while Haughey pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter. The pleas were entered before Rockland County Judge Anne B. Bianchi on Monday in connection with the January 2023 killing.
Prosecutors said Mastakouris was strangled and choked to death before his body was wrapped in a tablecloth and hidden in a crawl space in the New City home where the couple resided. Following the killing, the defendants stole the victim’s belongings, including his car, jewelry, and credit card.
“The defendants in this case both pled guilty, taking responsibility for their horrific actions,” Walsh said in a statement. He added that the office is committed to fighting elder abuse and protecting vulnerable senior citizens.
The couple is expected to be sentenced to lengthy prison terms for their roles in the crime.