Overview
- NYCHA workers discovered Montgomery’s remains on Feb. 1 inside a black bag in the locked trash compactor room at Borinquen Plaza around 9:30 a.m.
- Detectives say evidence supports that she dropped an item into a chute, fell headfirst while trying to retrieve it, landed two floors down, and was processed by the compactor.
- Police recovered a purse in the compactor room and believe she was attempting to get it when she entered the chute.
- Surveillance shows the 39-year-old, who did not live in the building, entering the complex alone at about 1:39 a.m. after being out earlier that night.
- The Medical Examiner reported no defensive wounds as multiple witnesses recounted hearing screaming from inside the compactor, and the machine’s automatic bagging explains why remains were found in a trash bag.