Suspect in shoving death of NYC singing coach hid at parents’ house, deleted wedding site, prosecutors say

Audrey J. Powers

The woman accused of fatally shoving an 87-yr-old New York City voice coach deleted her marriage web page and hid at her mom and dad property soon after the alleged assault, seemingly to elude authorities, prosecutors explained Tuesday.

Lauren Pazienza, 26, is also alleged to have deleted her social media accounts and stopped using her cellphone, Manhattan Assistant District Legal professional Justin McNabney claimed in a assertion.

Vocal coach Barbara Maier Gustern.
Vocal coach Barbara Maier Gustern.Tamara Beckwith / New York Submit / Mega

Pazienza surrendered to police after an anonymous tipster alerted authorities to her location, McNabney mentioned. She was arraigned on prices of initially-degree manslaughter and next-diploma assault in the incident on March 10 that killed Barbara Maier Gustern.

Gustern, who died afterwards, told authorities that the person afterwards recognized as Pazienza approached her around West 28th Road and 8th Avenue and called her an expletive right before she forcibly pushed her to the pavement, McNabney said.

McNabney mentioned the incident happened without having provocation. Extra particulars about a doable motive were not right away out there.

Safety movie showed Pazienza leaving the scene as Gustern lay bleeding, McNabney said. Pazienza was captured on video close by in a actual physical altercation with a guy considered to be her fiancé, and she was later on found observing an ambulance arrive at the location where she is alleged to have pushed Gustern, McNabney mentioned.

She and her fiancé, who have been to be married in June, have been then captured on movie leaving Manhattan by Penn Station, McNabney claimed.

Pazienza is accused of fleeing her home in Queens to her parents’ residence and deleting her social media accounts and her wedding ceremony web page.

“From that place on, the defendant has created each hard work to keep away from apprehension,” McNabney explained in the statement. “She even took down her marriage world wide web internet site, inspite of that point that she is scheduled to be married in June of this 12 months.”

On Friday, police produced clearer images of the woman required in the random nighttime attack.

Lauren Pazienza
New York City police on Friday released more photos of the woman desired in the assault on Barbara Maier Gustern.New York Police Division

Just after the tipster contacted authorities, detectives knocked on the parents’ front door Monday, McNabney reported.

McNabney stated that after Pazienza’s father told police she wasn’t there, her attorney contacted authorities and organized for her surrender.

A concept left at a Extended Island telephone range detailed as that of a relative of Pazienza’s wasn’t instantly returned. Her attorney also did not promptly answer to a ask for for comment. The lawyer informed reporters that the push could have been accidental.

“Whether it was a thrust, a shove, or regardless of whether it was a kick or anyone was tripped — the proof is not incredibly good on that at all,” the attorney stated, in accordance to NBC New York.

Gustern died March 15. AJ Gustern, her grandson, who stated she experienced traumatic brain injury, informed NBC New York that “she was a force of mother nature” and a “very small ball of electricity making local community almost everywhere she went.”

“To whoever did do this, I’m nonetheless praying for you, and the karmic wave that you have taken on is unbelievable,” he explained to the station. “So God help you.”

Gustern was fondly regarded in New York’s theater local community. She coached the cast of the 2019 Broadway revival of the musical “Oklahoma!,” The New York Times reported. She also as soon as coached rock singer Debbie Harry of the group Blondie.

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