Denise Morgan died of gunshot wound, medical examiner confirms

Denise Morgan had been living in New York for the past five years. Picture: The Cottage Bar Restaurant/Facebook

An autopsy after the death of an Irish woman in New York has revealed she died from a gunshot wound of the head and neck, the New York Chief Medical Examiner has confirmed.

Denise Zaitschek, nee Morgan, 39, was found dead in her house in Queens in the early hours of Saturday morning.

Her partner, Joed Taveras, 33, was also found dead in the house, at Glendale close to Kew Gardens and Forest Hills, with a gun beside him.

The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner told the Irish Examiner that investigators have determined the exact cause of deaths of the couple.

The death of Mr Taveras was the result of a self-inflicted gunshot wound of the head, while Ms Morgan died as a result of “homicide”.

Emergency services were called to the house in Queens when neighbours heard an argument followed by gunshots.

Ms Morgan, who was separated from her husband, had been living in New York for the past five years.

Her daughter was not in the house at the time of the shooting.

NYPD statement 

In a statement to the Irish Examiner, a spokesperson for the Deputy Commissioner of Public Information with the New York Police Department said: “The identities of the deceased are confirmed as Denise Zaitschek, 39-year-old female, 73-22 69Pl, Queens, NY and Joed Taveras, 33-year-old male, Queens, NY.

“Upon arrival, officers observed two persons (one male, one female), unconscious and unresponsive with gunshot wounds to their heads, within the second floor living room area of the residence.

“EMS responded to the location and pronounced the 39-year female and the 33-year-old male deceased at the scene.

"A firearm was recovered in the vicinity of the deceased male. The investigation remains ongoing.” 

Ms Morgan was from the small village of Tullyallen outside Drogheda Co  Louth. Her family have travelled to the US to repatriate her remains.

Memorial service

Meanwhile, a memorial service is being organised by Ms Morgan’s American friends this Sunday, October 29 at 4pm (8pm Irish time) at St Teresa Catholic Church on 45th St in Queens, NY.

A notice on RIP.ie said Ms Morgan will be “sadly missed by her heartbroken family, mam Deirdre, dad Noel, daughter Mollie and Mollie’s dad Larry, sisters Lisa and Shannon, brother John, nieces Kayleigh and Roisin, nephew Kayden, aunts, uncles, extended family, relatives and friends”.

The family has said donations, if desired, can be made to the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust.

Funeral details have not been published yet.

Speaking to the Irish Examiner this week, Fr Sean Dooley said Ms Morgan was remembered at Mass in Tullyallen on Tuesday.

“Her family were at Mass on Sunday; it is simply shocking and very very distressing” he said. “We remembered her at mass on Sunday and again this morning.

“People are distressed. I’m very glad to see so many people rally around the family, it is a very sad time for them”.

Two GoFundMe pages have raised more than €40k between them to help support the repatriation of Ms Morgan’s remains.