3-14-16 UNIDENTIFIED BODY RECOVERY (UPDATED 3-17)
On Monday, March 14th, 2016 at 1858hrs the Palisades Interstate Parkway Police Department received a call from the Fort Lee NJ Police Department that witnesses reported a deceased body in Ross Dock. (Ross Dock is located along the Hudson River in the Fort Lee NJ Section of the Palisades Interstate Park). Officers and detectives from this agency responded and met with Fort Lee officers who had two (2) witnesses on the scene. They reported that they were walking in the park when they located the victim on the rocks of the north shore and drove to the Fort Lee police headquarters to report the incident.
Parkway officers confirmed the location of the deceased female and awaited detectives. Once pronouncement was made, the victim was removed with the assistance of the Fort Lee Fire Department. At this time, the circumstances surrounding the victims death are under investigation however we are seeking the public’s assistance in positively identifying the victim.
She is described as a black female, with very short black hair, approximately 200-225lbs, 5ft 5in in height, Mid-30’s, brown eyes, last seen wearing a dark gray hooded sweat shirt and a newer blue colored Knicks T-shirt underneath. It is estimated that she has been deceased within the past 48 hours however that does not mean she has not been missing longer than that time frame. Anyone who may have seen a woman wearing this clothing description or knows of a person missing that matches this description is asked to contact the Palisades Interstate Parkway Police Department at 201-768-6001 or . Reference case number: PI-16-6452.
Updated 3-16-2016
At this time, with the assistance of the Bergen County Medical Examiner’s Office, the victim’s death has been found to be consistent with an elevated fall such as a bridge or overpass into the Hudson River. The investigation is still ongoing to determine the circumstances that lead up to her death. To add to the previously released description, it is important to note that this victim has no tatoos or scars. This agency continues to work with the public and the Bergen County Sheriff’s BCI Unit to determine her identity.
Updated 3-17-2016 (Final)
On Wednesday, March 16th 2016 the Palisades Interstate Parkway Police Department received a call from the NYPD 34th Precinct advising that they had conducted a welfare check for a family on an apartment in Washington Heights. During the welfare check, they located a note that indicated that the resident/occupant may have intentions on harming themselves. They made notifications to Port Authority GWB as well as this agency. Detectives from this agency worked with members of the 34th Precinct on matching the missing subject with the victim recovered earlier this week. During the same time frame, this agency also received notification from the Bergen County Sheriff’s Department BCI Unit that fingerprints from the recovered victim matched that of a person who had been fingerprinted in Louisiana. The information from the St. Tammany Parish Louisianna Sheriff’s Department matched that of the missing person we had been investigating with NYPD as well. Therefore, the victim has been positively identified as Ms. Natanya Gettie, a 24 year old female from New York, NY.
At this current time this investigation has not discovered any indication or evidence to show that it is suspicious in nature.