Claire McKenna, a 26-year-old Irish American woman, was found dead in Queens, New York on October 14, police have confirmed.
McKenna’s family is offering a reward of $35,000 for “information leading to an arrest and conviction concerning the death of Claire McKenna,” according to posters circulating in Queens as well as on social media.
Claire McKenna’s family is offering a reward for information relating to her death in Queens, New York.
The poster states: “On Tuesday morning, October 11, 2022, at 3:11 am, the McKenna family received a text from their beloved daughter Claire requesting ‘help’ and advising them that her battery on her cell phone was dying.
“On Wednesday morning, October 12, 2022, at approximately 4:30 a.m. (over 24 hours after the text was sent by Claire), a man, fully covered with a mask and dark clothes, was captured on videotape pushing Claire’s body in a dolly and was caught dumping her body in a bush located at 94th Avenue and 214th Street, Queens, New York.
“Claire was five feet, five inches tall, weighed 115 pounds and was 26 years old. Other than the video which captured the man pushing Claire for five blocks, other evidence was recovered at the scene.
“The McKenna family are requesting assistance from the public with any information that may lead to the identification and apprehension of the man observed pushing Claire’s body in the dolly.
“If you have any information regarding this case, please contact Michael G. Santangelo, Esq at 914 – 391 – 1823 or email him at mgsesq [@] msn.com.”
As of Tuesday evening, Santangelo has yet to respond to IrishCentral’s request for comment.
A spokesperson for the NYPD’s Deputy Commissioner of Public Information told IrishCentral in a statement on Tuesday: “On Wednesday, October 12, 2022, at approximately 0927 hours, police responded to a 911 call of an aided individual at 94 Avenue and 214 Street, within the confines of the 105 Precinct.
“Upon arrival, officers observed a 26-year-old female unconscious and unresponsive, partially clothed lying face down on the pavement near a bush at the location.
“EMS responded and pronounced the aided female deceased on scene.
“The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner will determine the cause of death and the investigation remains ongoing.”
The spokesperson confirmed that the deceased was identified as 26-year-old Claire McKenna of Queens, New York.
A funeral for McKenna was held in Astoria, Queens on October 15, according to post from her family members on social media.
The circulation of the posters in recent days coincided with a month’s mind mass that was held for McKenna at Kilkerley Church in her father’s native Co Louth this past weekend.
The Kilkerley Emmets GAA club in Co Louth, where McKenna’s father was a former player, offered its “deepest sympathies and heartfelt condolences” to the McKenna family upon Claire’s death.
“We cannot comprehend the pain you have experienced since Claire’s untimely passing,” the club said on social media, “and you have all been in our thoughts and prayers and we will continue to remember you and your beautiful daughter Claire in our prayers.”