Woman accused of hiding corpse over body parts found in refrigerator

A Brooklyn woman was charged this week with concealing a human corpse after police found a head and other body parts in garbage bags in her refrigerator, officials said Friday.

The remains were discovered by officers responding to a tip from someone who said they had seen what appeared to be a human head in a black bag in the refrigerator of the woman's apartment, Heather Stines, according to court records.

Ms. Stines was alone in the apartment, in the East Flatbush neighborhood, when officers arrived just after 7 p.m. Monday, court records show. The refrigerator was taped shut at the time, Joseph E. Kenny, chief of police detectives, told reporters on Tuesday. According to a police report, Ms. Stines begged the officers not to open the door.

After the grisly discovery, Mrs. Stines told officers that the body parts had been in the refrigerator for several months and belonged to a man who had killed her husband during an argument in September, according to the police report. She told police she did not witness the killing, the report said.

Police identified the victim as Kawsheen Gelzer, records show. The New York City medical examiner's office had not released a cause of death as of Friday.

Ms. Stines was examined at a hospital after being taken into custody on Monday, Chief Kenny said. She had outstanding warrants related to shoplifting and bail jumping, according to court documents. She pleaded not guilty late Thursday night during an arraignment in Brooklyn Criminal Court, a spokeswoman for the Brooklyn district attorney's office said.

Ms. Stines and her husband shared the apartment where Mr. Gelzer's remains were found, said May Paige, another tenant. The couple had a history of feuding with neighbors, Ms. Paige said, but she still found the charges against Ms. Stines “really shocking.”

“It's too much and it's causing me stress,” said Ms. Paige, 35, adding that she had long had concerns about safety in the building.

Another neighbor, Germaine Roberts, 53, said he came home from work on Monday evening while police were questioning Ms Stines.

“I could hear them in the hallway talking to her about some glass and taking her to the hospital,” he said.

Mr. Roberts and Ms. Paige both said they wanted to leave the building because of safety and sanitation concerns.

“It is a shock to me and I feel sorry for all parties involved,” Mr Roberts said.

Reached by phone Friday at her home in Kentucky, Ms. Stines' aunt, Aime Stines, said her niece had grown up in the state and moved to New York City about eight years ago after her father died. She had a history of drug use but never appeared to be violent, Aime Stines said.

“There's no way — I couldn't believe it,” said Mrs. Stines, 79, as she recalled the moment she learned of her niece's arrest. “Heather was always smiling and talking. She has a voice where she talks so fast that I can barely understand her. She always seemed happy.”

Aime Stines said she heard from her niece occasionally when the younger woman needed money, but it had been a few years since they last spoke. Around the time her niece was arrested, Aime Stines said, she came across a photo of her on Facebook and felt compelled to contact her.

“Hello, Heather, it was nice to see a photo of you. I haven't seen you in years,” said the older Mrs. Stines, who had written them.

“I thought she might text me back,” she added, “but I haven't heard from her.”

Susan C. Beachy research contributed. Chelsia Rose Marcius reporting contributed.