A man lept twelve stories to his death from his apartment window in the Lower East Side yesterday morning. 78-year-old Miguel Melendez was pronounced dead at the scene around 10:20 a.m. yesterday. "His wife just died four days ago," neighbor Juanita Gonzales said. "It's very sad."
A man identifying himself as Melendez's son arrived shortly after authorities arrived, and was overcome with emotion before he was led away. Gonzales, who lived in Melendez's building at 73 Columbia Street for over 30 years, said she knew him in passing and thought he was a "nice" man. "I just couldn't believe he could do it. Her family was coming here for her funeral. Maybe it's the pain that he is alone."
