EXCLUSIVE: New Rochelle police called to Iona University-owned home 9 times before 47-year-old woman’s death, new documents reveal
“Regardless of what the toxicology results reveal, there’s an ineptitude with how this case was handled by the New Rochelle Police Department and the college,” says Sackett’s brother-in-law Rick Diaz. “They need to correct these behaviors so that it doesn’t pass down to somebody else’s case where it might actually make a difference.”
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News 12 has obtained exclusive new information tonight in the unsolved case of a 47-year-old woman found badly decomposed inside a home owned by Iona University in New Rochelle.
The tragedy involving the Westchester dental hygienist, Karen Sackett, remains under investigation, but documents obtained by News 12 under a freedom of information request that was denied and successfully appealed now show that New Rochelle police were called to the home she shared with her ex-boyfriend, who was employed by the university, and their roommate at least nine times before she died.
“Regardless of what the toxicology results reveal, there’s an ineptitude with how this case was handled by the New Rochelle Police Department and the college,” says Sackett’s brother-in-law Rick Diaz. “They need to correct these behaviors so that it doesn’t pass down to somebody else’s case where it might actually make a difference.”
The information in pages of police reports reveals that authorities responded to the residence on President Street for welfare checks, disputes, alleged domestic violence and possible substance abuse by Sackett from 2017 to 2023. The woman was found deceased on her bedroom floor Nov. 4, 2024, just days after her birthday.
“The questions we have will never get answered because there’s no way for the investigation to be done in a proper manner the way that it was done,” says Diaz.
One report shows Sackett called police for help on July 12, 2018 for chest pains and shortness of breath “due to her boyfriend assaulting her.” It indicates that Sackett was “laying on the couch” when officers arrived and “wouldn’t get up to get the door,” and claims Sackett appeared to be under the influence of a controlled substance, was “uncooperative” and refused to answer questions when officers and emergency medical personnel asked about the alleged incident and her physical complaints.
“Any dispute that did occur cannot be substantiated due to Ms. Sackett being completely uncooperative,” the responding officer wrote.
Sackett was taken to the hospital and during a follow-up call later told police in a “very low voice” that a dispute did occur with her boyfriend but not on that day, and that she called 911 because she needed to “detox,” according to the police report.
News 12 has pressed Iona University and police for information since her family shared concerns about the investigation and allegations of domestic violence, including multiple photos they shared with News 12 of Sackett with bruises, swollen and red fingers, chunks of her hair removed, and an X-ray of her foot, when authorities said the woman died from natural causes.
“Regardless of why she is no longer with us, there’s questions here and the New Rochelle Police Department doesn’t seem to be concerned with getting any answers to them. They want it to be done and over with,” Diaz says.
New Rochelle police say the case is being thoroughly investigated and that Sackett was home alone when she suffered what appears to be a medical emergency. Authorities say they verified that Sackett’s ex was out of town when she died, that Sackett was alone at the time of her death and that there were no signs of foul play.
Iona University says none of the incidents at home were a threat to student safety.
Police say the toxicology results revealing a possible cause of death could take months to obtain.
