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Woman Sentenced for Strangling Man to Death With Shoelace in Astoria Park

 Kelly Harnett was sentenced to 17 years to life for her role in the death of Ruben Angel Vargas in 2010 in Astoria Park.
Kelly Harnett was sentenced to 17 years to life for her role in the death of Ruben Angel Vargas in 2010 in Astoria Park.
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DNAinfo/Jeanmarie Evelly

ASTORIA — A homeless woman was sentenced Wednesday for beating and strangling a man to death using a shoelace in Astoria Park five years ago, officials said.

Kelly Harnett, 33, was sentenced to 17 years to life in prison for her role in the death of 32-year-old Astoria resident Ruben Angel Vargas, who was fatally beaten and choked in the park at about 4 a.m. on July 7, 2010, according to the Queens District Attorney's Office.

During the attack, Harnett and her boyfriend, Thomas Donavan, kicked Vargas reapeadly in the head and body, strangled him using a shoelace from Harnett's sneaker and then took off with his wallet, leaving the victim motionless on the ground, the DA's office wrote in a statement.

The attack happened near Ditmars Boulevard and 19th Street in Astoria Park, according to the criminal complaint from the DA's office.

Harnett and Donovan had spent nights camping out in the park before the brutal attack, prosecutors said last year. Donovan pleaded guilty to manslaughter in 2010 and is serving a 15-year sentence, according to the DA's office.

"This willful act of violence warranted a lengthy prison term," Queens DA Richard Brown said in a statement. 

Harnett's attorney did not immediately return a call for comment Thursday.