A 45-year-old Brooklyn woman, Heather Staines, was arrested after several body parts were recovered from the freezer in her home, according to the Daily Mail. Despite the arrest, no formal charges have been brought against her yet.
Trigger Warning: Article contains some graphic details. Reader discretion is advised.
Law enforcement officials arrived at Staines' residence in Brooklyn on Monday after receiving a tip. The case is still under investigation, and the authorities have not yet revealed additional details.
Police discovered that Heather, residing in an apartment in Brooklyn, had a drug problem
According to the Daily Mail, authorities were called on Monday, January 22, at approximately 6.15 a.m. local time, to conduct a welfare check at an apartment in Brooklyn. The caller claimed that they believed there was a body in the house. Upon arrival, authorities made a frightening discovery in the apartment. There was a severed head along with other body parts inside the refrigerator.
According to family members, Heather and her husband often used drugs and were arrested as well. Heather's aunt also said she would make money cleaning apartments. Her husband, Nicholas McGee, has reportedly been in prison in Virginia since September 2023, after he tried to cash a forged check.
Catherine McGee, Nicholas' sister-in-law, told the Daily Mail that Nicholas is expected to appear in court on Tuesday, January 23, 2024. She further said:
“It's going to be very devastating because he's getting out of prison and potentially going to prison for a possible murder.”
Catherine added that Heather relapsed “a year or two ago,” the Daily Star reported. This incident is said to have occurred after she learned of the death of one of her daughters due to a drug overdose.
The police revealed the identity of the remains found in the Brooklyn house, and that they belonged to a merchant
The freezer in the fourth-floor unit on Nostrand Street in Flatbush was sealed to prevent the odor from spreading, the New York Post reported. Brooklyn home resident Heather Staines, 45, was immediately taken into custody, however, no formal charges have been filed as of press time.
The New York Police Department held a press conference to discuss the horrific incident. The Messenger reported that during the conference, NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenney said:
“We have a head. We have some limbs.”
Police have not yet determined how the victim died. According to Staines' aunt, Amy Staines, the suspect lived with her husband, Nicholas. Amy expressed her shock after learning of the horrific discovery made in the Brooklyn apartment. According to CrimeOnline, she said:
“The worst thing I know is that she lost her children because someone reported them sleeping on the floor because she didn't have any beds. She said she got rid of the beds because of bed bugs. They were sleeping on planks.”
As of Tuesday afternoon, investigating officers had failed to speak with the suspect, as she had to be hospitalized due to an illness. DNA testing is being carried out to confirm if Heather is linked to the horrific discovery. Police also revealed the identity of the victim, 40-year-old Cochin Gelzer, a trader who allegedly disappeared last year.
