Woman Awaiting Trial in Mother-in-Law Murder Plotted to Kill Witnesses: Police

Rockland County District Attorney Thomas P. Zugibe and Chief Michael Sullivan of the Clarkstown Police Department today announced that Diana Nadell has been charged in a new indictment in a plot to intimidate and kill two prosecution witnesses in her upcoming trial for the murder of her mother-in-law, Peggy Nadell.

She is charged with:

• Two counts of Conspiracy in the Second Degree, class “B” Felonies

• Two counts of Attempted Intimidating a Witness in the First Degree, class “C” Felonies

• Two counts of Attempted Tampering with a Witness in the First Degree, class “C” Felonies

• Two counts of Criminal Solicitation in the Second Degree, class “D” Felonies

“These are disturbing allegations in an already shocking case,” Zugibe said. “This office will do everything in its power to vigorously prosecute those who seek to intimidate and harm witnesses. This new indictment underscores the lengths our law enforcement partners will go to ensure public safety - on both sides of the jail bars.”

Nadell is currently awaiting trial for the January 25, 2014 murder of her mother-in-law. Police say she involved three women in that slaying—one to help her and two to create an alibi.

Now authorities are saying that Nadell, while being held at the Orange County Jail, contacted another inmate whom she believed was being deported to Jamaica.

According to the criminal charges, Nadell asked the inmate to participate in a plot to murder two of the cooperating witnesses she believed would provide crucial testimony against her at trial.

Members of the Clarkstown Police Department, Rockland County District Attorney’s Office, the Orange County Sheriff’s Department and the Orange County District Attorney’s Office immediately launched an investigation into the matter which resulted in an instant indictment, authorities said in a press release.

The statement did not name the cooperating witnesses.

However, three of the four women with whom police say Nadell had conspired have already pleaded guilty to lesser charges.

Officials say Nadell drove from Florida to Washington, DC Jan. 24, and offered Andrea Benson money to help her kill her mother-in-law. Nadell, the wife of Peggy Nadell’s son James, wanted to get her hands on the money her family expected to inherit, according to media reports about court documents.

Nadell arranged a false alibi with Tanisha Joyner and Eltia Grant, the DA said.

Nadell and Benson are alleged to have made a cell phone call to get Peggy Nadell to open the door of her Valley Cottage home at 1:17 a.m. Jan. 25. According to the DA, they stabbed, strangled and beat the 80-year-old to death.

Then, after all four were arrested, the other three pleaded guilty to lesser charges—leaving Nadell the only accused conspirator facing trial.

Benson, accused of accompanying Nadell to her mother-in-law’s house and helping her strangle and stab the 80-year-old, pleaded guilty immediately after she was arraigned June 19 to the lesser of the two charges she faced: second-degree murder.

The other two named as co-conspirators, Joyner of Washington, DC. and Grant of Long Beach, CA pleaded guilty to first-degree hindering a prosecution (also a felony). Joyner admitted to providing Clarkstown police with a false alibi for Diana Nadell. Grant acted as go-between to help with the logistics of the alibi, police said.