Nicole Lee Anna Flanagan, a 42-year-old woman originally from Greenwich who was living in the Woodlawn section of the Bronx, was found dead on Friday, Aug 13.
Her unclothed body was found inside a plastic barrel in Ridgefield Park, New Jersey, according to a release from the Bergen County New Jersey Prosecutor’s office on Aug 13.
On Aug 20, the Bergen County NJ’s Prosecutor’s office identified Ms Flanagan by name. The medical examiner’s office has not yet determined a cause of death.
According to the New York Post, residents noticed an unpleasant smell coming from the barrel. The Post reported that Nicole was last seen alive on surveillance video when she entered 95 Wall Street, a high rise building in the Financial District the evening before her body was discovered. She was identified by her fingerprints. There were no visible signs of trauma.
The man she was seen with entering the building appeared on the video wheeling the barrel on a luggage rack and loading it onto a U-Haul around 10:45pm. The building security guard questioned the man about the drum when it was brought in, but the man told the guard he was moving and using the barrel.
According to a report in the New York Post Monday afternoon, NYPD detectives have identified a gang member, 25, as a person of interest in Flanagan’s death.
According to an obituary on DignityMemorial.com, Flanagan is survived by her parents Thomas and Bonnie. She leaves behind three children, Aaron, Tayana, and Xavier, and a brother TJ and his wife Lisa Flanagan, who created a GoFundMe account to raise money to honor Nicole’s memory.
“As everyone knows, this was tragic and sudden. Making final arrangements has become a financial burden on her father,” said Lisa Flanagan on GoFundMe where she had raised $6,587 out of a goal of $10,000 as of Monday afternoon.
Family and friends are invited to calling hours Thursday, Aug 26, from 4:00pm to 8:00pm at Leo P. Gallagher & Son Funeral Home, 31 Arch Street in Greenwich.
A funeral is scheduled on Friday August 27, 10:00am at St. Mary Church in Greenwich.