Crime & Safety

Police Identify Body Found In Trash Compactor Near Union Square

Police say 48-year-old Lara Prychenko fell 20-stories down a trash chute in Zeckendorf Towers.

GRAMERCY, NY – Police identified the body of a woman found dead Tuesday inside the trash compactor of a Union Square apartment building as Lara Prychenko, 48, a tenant of the luxury condo building, police said Wednesday.

Prychenko's body was discovered by a building maintenance worker inside of the garbage chute at Zeckendorf Towers on the corner of Irving Place and E. 15th Street just before 5 a.m., police said.

Authorities believe the woman dropped 27-stories in the chute. Investigators are in the process of determining if Prychenko's death was intentional or an accident.

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