Torso of woman found near Queens-Nassau border, NYPD says

NYPD detectives are investigating the discovery of the dismembered torso of a woman found near the Queens-Nassau County border early in the week, officials said Thursday.

The head, arms and legs were completely severed from the torso and the only sign of trauma discovered during the initial autopsy was a broken rib, which may have occurred when the remains were dumped, said NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny during a briefing.

The autopsy further revealed that a knife was used to cut through the victim’s soft tissue and a saw to slice through the bone, according to Kenny.

The discovery of the torso on Monday was made near the intersection of 149th Avenue and Brookville Boulevard in Rosedale, Queens, just west of North Woodmere in Nassau, by sanitation workers doing a roadside cleanup who noticed a foul odor coming from a package, explained Kenny.

The torso, believed to be that of a woman of Guyanese origin, had several unique tattoos consisting of three names and a flower. Kenny said that the remains were being compared through DNA analysis with a family that had made an earlier missing persons report, said Kenny.

“We do have a case we are very interested in, but we are not going to make any notifications until we determine what went on,” Kenny said of the investigation.

By Anthony M. DeStefano

tony.destefano@newsday.comtonynewsday

Anthony M. DeStefano has been a reporter for Newsday since 1986 and covers law enforcement, criminal justice and legal affairs from its New York City offices.