Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Days After Wife's Death, Man Jumps To Death From LES Building
By
Christopher Robbins
Published Mar 24, 2012
Modified Mar 24, 2012
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Christopher Robbins
Published Mar 24, 2012
Modified Mar 24, 2012
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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."
Tagged
columbia street
Lower East Side
tragedies
Christopher Robbins
Christopher Robbins is a New York City reporter covering transportation, affordable housing, local politics, and criminal justice. His work has also appeared in New York Magazine, The Village Voice and The New York Times. Chris is a graduate of Patrick Henry High School in Roanoke, Virginia, and enjoys biking to Fort Tilden in the summertime.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Holy civics! NYC schools' own comic books in the spotlight at Comic Con
Comic Con continues through Sunday.
By
Jessica Gould
Published Oct 10, 2026 at 8:00 a.m. ET
What we know about the ICE shooting in NYC
A federal immigration agent shot a Dominican immigrant in the neck in Marble Hill Thursday night.
By
Karen Yi
News
What we know about the ICE shooting in NYC
A federal immigration agent shot a Dominican immigrant in the neck in Marble Hill Thursday night.
By
Karen Yi
DSA to Mamdani: Fire NYPD commissioner if ICE doesn't leave NYC
By
Elizabeth Kim
,
Brigid Bergin
and
Ben Feuerherd
Two people killed in Bronx vehicle crash
By
Kaya Laterman
NY will opt in Trump’s school choice program, Hochul says
By
Jon Campbell
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .