A New York resident, Nicholas McGee, 45, is facing multiple charges including murder, robbery, and concealment of a human corpse, following the brutal killing of his roommate, Kawsheen Gelzer, 39. The incident, which took place in March 2022, allegedly began with McGee stabbing Gelzer in his sleep, leading to a violent struggle that ended in Gelzer’s death.
According to Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez, the murder was a horrific act that started with an assault on the victim while he was asleep. The authorities are now seeking to hold McGee accountable for this heinous crime. The incident occurred in a Flatbush apartment, where McGee allegedly stabbed Gelzer in the back as he slept on the couch. Upon waking, Gelzer was reportedly stabbed multiple times and hit with a hammer during a struggle with McGee.
Following the murder, McGee is said to have removed drugs from Gelzer’s pocket and proceeded to dismember his body using a small saw and a hammer. The remains were then placed in plastic bags and a suitcase, with the victim’s head and torso stored in the refrigerator and his arms and legs in the freezer.
The New York Police Department’s Chief of Detectives, Joseph Kenny, revealed during a news briefing that the refrigerator was taped up, presumably to contain the odor. The case came to light on January 22, when police received an anonymous tip that Heather Stines, McGee’s wife, was storing a body in her refrigerator. Upon investigation, the police discovered the remains and subsequently arrested Stines.
Stines, 45, is now facing charges of first-degree hindering prosecution, concealment of a human corpse, and tampering with physical evidence. Meanwhile, McGee was apprehended in Chesapeake, Virginia, where he was already in custody for an unrelated identity fraud case. He reportedly confessed to the murder during an interview with investigators and was extradited back to New York this week. He is expected to make a court appearance on Monday.
Chief Kenny described McGee as a thief who goes where the money takes him, noting his previous arrests in Cincinnati and Kentucky. The victim, Gelzer, was a registered sex offender, having been convicted of sexually abusing a 12-year-old boy in 2004. He was also known as a drug dealer and had been staying at the apartment on a temporary basis.
Attempts to reach McGee’s and Stines’ lawyers for comments were unsuccessful. Stines’ brother-in-law, however, was quoted as saying that she was incapable of such a crime, describing it as a significant commitment.