Body of Irish woman murdered in New York will be flown back to Ireland on Monday

Denise Morgan’s heartbroken family flew to New York last week to repatriate her remains back to Ireland for a funeral service next week. Picture: The Cottage Bar Restaurant/Facebook

A memorial service in memory of an Irish woman who was murdered in New York has heard her remains will be flown back to Ireland on Monday.

Denise Zaitschek, nee Morgan, 39, from Tullyallen, Co. Louth died after she received gunshot wounds of the head and neck in the early hours of Saturday, October 21.

The mother of one was shot by her partner, who turned the gun on himself and died during the incident.

Around 250 people gathered at Saint Teresa’s Church in Woodside New York on Sunday afternoon to pay tribute to Ms Morgan.

The ceremony was attended by her heartbroken family, including her daughter Mollie and ex-husband Larry, as well as her parents Deirdre and Noel, and sisters Lisa and Shannon.

Speaking at the service which was live streamed Rev Richard Conlon said “We are dealing with something that is extremely senseless and extremely difficult and beyond what our minds can wrap itself around (it) makes no sense.

“A 39-year-old woman in the prime of her life and a woman who was obviously well loved. A turn out like this doesn’t happen very often I’m sure her parents are very overwhelmed by this, her sisters…how many lives she touched.

“This doesn’t happen by accident. She extended herself to people. She was a friend to many”.

He continued “Everyone is suffering in the church this afternoon and because of a lot of different things our faith is what we have to rely at this time.

“Of all people in the church Denise’s mother is suffering the most, she carried Denise in her own body for nine months and created the beautiful woman we see in the picture here”.

Ms Morgan moved to New York around five years ago with her daughter Mollie.

She later separated amicably from her husband and father of her child, Larry Zaitschek who was also living in the US.

The mass heard that Ms Morgan was popular among her large group of friends and worked in a pub in New York.

The Chief Medical Examiner’s office told the Irish Examiner that Ms Morgan died after she was shot in the head and neck in a homicide.

While her partner, Joed Taveras, 33, died from a self-inflected gunshot wound to the head – police found the gun used in the shootings beside his body in the couple’s house in Queens.

Both their remains were discovered by emergency services in Glendale close to Kew Gardens and Forest Hills when neighours raised the alarm after hearing gunshots.

Her heartbroken family flew to New York last week to repatriate her remains back to Ireland for a funeral service next week.

Rev Conlon said Denise’s body will return to Ireland on Monday, arriving on Tuesday and she will be laid to rest in her home parish in Tullyallen this week.

He said, “People over there are shocked by all of this”. Speaking to her family from the podium he said “I know you will be taking her home Monday, Tuesday, she is being buried over there, in the town.

“Fr. Dooley is celebrating the mass. We are mourning on both sides of the Atlantic today.

“She is in god’s hands and was taken in a brutal way, we all agree to that…we all know it was terrible.” He described how he has gone to funerals where “no one” had attended because they did not make friends and reach out to people in their lives.

“She (Denise) made the right choices” said Rev Conlon adding that was reflected in the numbers that attended the service.

When speaking to the Irish Examiner, Rev Conlon said it was a “sad time for the community”.

Neighbours raised the alarm last weekend after hearing arguing and gunshots in the couple’s home.

When police arrived at the scene, they discovered two bodies in the house.

A spokesperson for the Deputy Commissioner Public Information with the New York Police Department said “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.” 

Two GoFundMe pages have raised more than €40k to help the family bring Denise’s remains home.