GUILTY NY - Barbara Maier Gustern, 87, brutally shoved in street, dies, Manhattan, 12 March 2022 *arrest*

[JoeFromLB]

I wonder if her lawyer told her to swirl her head around continually to keep her face hidden, or were there severe wind gusts at the time?

 

[NervousNellie]

I wonder if her lawyer told her to swirl her head around continually to keep her face hidden, or were there severe wind gusts at the time?

I would be willing to bet money that no one needed to suggest to her that she hide her face as much as possible.

 

[curiouser_]

Also, her last name, I believe means "Patience" in Italian. If she was angry because this poor woman got a cab before her...kind of ironic. Not making light, please forgive me.

 

[curiouser_]

There isn't much on the web, but I'm guessing that is because she has scrubbed it before turning herself in (IMO). Anyone that knows her recognized her in the photograph. She spent the last few days preparing to be arrested, IMO.

I also believe this to be true. She had close to two weeks to do it!!

 

[epiphany]

I sure hope there are witnesses and cameras proving she did it.

Possibly described her distinctive hair color and length, too

<BBM> <snip> In a Facebook post following the attack, Gustern’s friend Barbara Bleier, who was at Gustern’s apartment the night of the attack, described what she saw. “Within a few minutes, there was a pounding on the lobby door, and a young man was helping a badly wounded and bleeding Barbara into the lobby,” Bleier wrote. “She, and the young man were able to tell us that she had been attacked by a woman, likely in her 30’s, and to describe the woman a bit.”

Woman Accused Of Shoving Broadway Coach Repped By Giuliani Attorney – Deadline

 

[curiouser_]

Possibly described her distinctive hair color and length, too

<BBM> <snip> In a Facebook post following the attack, Gustern’s friend Barbara Bleier, who was at Gustern’s apartment the night of the attack, described what she saw. “Within a few minutes, there was a pounding on the lobby door, and a young man was helping a badly wounded and bleeding Barbara into the lobby,” Bleier wrote. “She, and the young man were able to tell us that she had been attacked by a woman, likely in her 30’s, and to describe the woman a bit.”

Woman Accused Of Shoving Broadway Coach Repped By Giuliani Attorney – Deadline

Did you see the lone comment at the bottom of the article? (as of 1650 ET)

 

[sds71]

Before she lost consciousness, Gustern told police and a friend that a woman crossed the street, approached her directly, called her a 'b***h' and shoved her 'as hard as she had ever been hit in her life.'

Prosecutors say Pazienza stood on 29th Street and watched an ambulance as it arrived at the scene, according to surveillance videos reviewed by police.

Soon after the attack, she went back home to Astoria, Queens, quit her job at a store in Chelsea, deleted all social media and took down a website advertising her wedding this June, prosecutors say. The day after Gustern died, she allegedly fled for her parents' home on Long Island and later stashed her phone at her aunt's house so police wouldn't find it.

Long Island woman is arrested for death of vocal coach who she shoved in the street | Daily Mail Online

 

[squareandrabbet]

Before she lost consciousness, Gustern told police and a friend that a woman crossed the street, approached her directly, called her a 'b***h' and shoved her 'as hard as she had ever been hit in her life.'

Prosecutors say Pazienza stood on 29th Street and watched an ambulance as it arrived at the scene, according to surveillance videos reviewed by police.

Soon after the attack, she went back home to Astoria, Queens, quit her job at a store in Chelsea, deleted all social media and took down a website advertising her wedding this June, prosecutors say. The day after Gustern died, she allegedly fled for her parents' home on Long Island and later stashed her phone at her aunt's house so police wouldn't find it.

Long Island woman is arrested for death of vocal coach who she shoved in the street | Daily Mail Online

Yeah, that's... all very unusual.

Reading all that, mental illness seems a strong suspicion.

 

[annpats]

Why, why, why, why would someone do this to an elderly lady?!?

 

[JoeFromLB]

Yeah, that's... all very unusual.

Reading all that, mental illness seems a strong suspicion.

Bipolar, or manic-depressive illness, is possible. I have a relative who has suffered with this for decades. One time she crashed her car into a wall on purpose. Other times she's been hospitalized after causing public disturbances. The medications she has taken also caused a great deal of weight gain. The whole thing started with a nervous breakdown at age 27.

There's something seriously wrong here with a young woman who would cross the street and attack an elderly lady she doesn't even know, then casually watch the aftermath before strolling away.

 

[Shamrock1]

Did the two have any kind of interaction before hand? Even a non-verbal one?

 

[epiphany]

<snip> At Tuesday's arraignment, assistant district attorney Justin McNabney revealed new details of the case, including how an intensive NYPD canvass for surveillance footage led to the identification of Pazienza as a suspect.

The fatal attack occurred at the corner of West 28th Street and Avenue, and prosecutors say that video shows Pazienza wandering in the area for about 20 minutes after the assault.

Approximately seven minutes after the attack, she was seen having a physical altercation with a man believed to be her fiancé, Microsoft customer support specialist Naveen Pereira, McNabney told the court.

Some thirteen minutes after the attack, she was seen standing on the south side of West 29th Street, looking toward West 28th Street, and watching the ambulance as it arrived to the location of the attack.

Then about half an hour after the attack, Pazienza and her fiancé were seen entering Penn Station, where they each swiped a MetroCard belonging to Pereira.

Long Island woman is arrested for death of vocal coach who she shoved in the street | Daily Mail Online

 

[curiouser_]

The more I'm reading, I believe you are right about mental illness, @JoeFromLB.

 

[annpats]

Pazienza lives in Queens, so I wonder what she was actually doing in Manhattan with her fiancé Pereira that evening?
Were they hanging out, drinking, eating, or shopping after work?

Where was her finacé while she was wandering in the area for 20 mins before the attack?

And then after attacking the elderly lady, why did she stay around to watch the paramedics and ensuing medical help? (That part sounds a bit mentally disturbed.)

She deserved to be sent to prison for murder. I hope she doesn't get off on "diminished responsibility" or some such psychological grounds.

 

[Shamrock1]

I know the physical altercation with the fiancé was after, but I wonder if Gustern witnessed her having some kind of disagreement before? A “tsk tsk” or roll of the eyes can trigger rage in some people. (Obviously not blaming Gustern here).

 

[annpats]

I'd like to know what the "derogatory term" was that she allegedly shouted at the victim before shoving her. Was it about her age??

I was wondering if it could be about Ms. Maier Gustern being Jewish?

But then, would she be able to tell?
Probably not. But she may have had a hunch.

Spiteful, whatever it was. Age or ethnicity. NYC is for everyone!

MOO.

 

[Shamrock1]

She wasn’t Jewish, but she did coach a lot of cantors. https://www.timesofisrael.com/slain-broadway-vocal-coach-and-honorary-jew-is-mourned-by-the-cantors-she-nurtured/amp/

My guess is that the term is the same one used for a female dog. JMO.

 

[Starkville]

Pazienza lives in Queens, so I wonder what she was actually doing in Manhattan with her fiancé Pereira that evening?
Were they hanging out, drinking, eating, or shopping after work?

Where was her finacé while she was wandering in the area for 20 mins before the attack?...

the DailyMail article says:

“Soon after the attack, she went back home to Astoria, Queens, quit her job at a store in Chelsea, deleted all social media and took down a website advertising her wedding this June, prosecutors say.”

That might explain why she was in Chelsea. And maybe the fiancé was picking her up after work? I wonder what store it was…

 

[annpats]

the DailyMail article says: "Soon after the attack, she went back home to Astoria, Queens, quit her job at a store in Chelsea. Maybe the fiancé was picking her up after work? I wonder what store it was…

Furniture, apparently.

Roche Bobois. A high-end French retailer of home accessories and luxury furniture.

Woman Suspected of Shoving Broadway Vocal Coach Charged with Manslaughter

 

[JoeFromLB]

Sounds like the wedding is off.

This appears to be a very troubled young woman. I'm not a doctor but it screams bipolar. I've seen it in a relative. The mid-20's are when it often manifests.

In any event, the insanity defense will be very difficult to pull off. It rarely succeeds, as the defense must prove that the defendant had no conception of right or wrong. It's a very high bar to climb over. Diminished capacity, on the other hand is easier. I could see manslaughter here. The argument is, she did not intend to kill the victim by shoving her. She will probably not do any serious prison time, although in my opinion she should.