West Nyack Man Sentenced to 15 Years In Fatal Stabbing of Missing Person

Rockland County District Attorney Thomas E. Walsh II announced today that Joseph Janulewicz, 65 of West Nyack, New York was sentenced in Rockland County Court before the Honorable Anne B. Bianchi to fifteen years in state prison and five years of post-release supervision based upon his plea of guilty on November 22, 2023 to one count of Manslaughter in the First Degree in connection with the homicide of Brian Romney.

On June 10, 2022, a relative of Brian Romney filed a missing person report with the Village of Greenwood Lake Police Department, when he did not arrive at his relative’s home as expected on June 8, 2022, and had not been in communication with his family and friends since the morning of that date. The New York State Police was requested to assist in the missing person investigation. A vehicle belonging to Brian Romney was located on June 15, 2022 in West Nyack, NY in close proximity to East Street. The investigation by the New York State Police resulted in the execution of a search warrant upon the residence of 35 East Street in West Nyack (pictured below) and the discovery of Brian Romney’s deceased body concealed in a tarp inside a storage room within the residence of Joseph Janulewicz on June 16, 2022. Romney suffered multiple stab wounds to his person, and the Medical Examiner ruled his death a homicide.

Upon pleading guilty, the defendant admitted that he intended to cause Brian Romney serious physical injury when he stabbed him multiple times about his body, including a fatal wound to his back, which caused his death. He admitted that he then wrapped the corpse of Brian Romney in a blue tarp and concealed it within his residence until it was discovered by the New York State Police.

District Attorney Tom Walsh said, “The defendant in this case is responsible for brutally stabbing the victim multiple times and causing his death. I commend the dedication and exceptional investigation by the New York State Police with assistance from the Village of Greenwood Lake Police Department in this case. The defendant is now off the streets and will be serving a lengthy prison term for his actions.”

The case was investigated by the New York State Police and the Village of Greenwood Lake Police Department. The case was prosecuted by First Assistant District Attorney Doreen Lloyd and Executive Assistant District Attorney Michael Dugandzic.