After finding her dead this month inside Iona University campus housing, the family of a deceased New Rochelle woman is searching for answers.
According to her family, a university employee discovered Karen Sackett three days after she passed away on November 1, her 47th birthday.
“Evidence at the scene indicated that she did not die naturally. Sackett’s brother-in-law, Rick Diaz, describes her death as “horrific.”
Diaz claims Sackett was found dead in her bedroom while Iona University was evicting her from campus housing. He claims she lived there in a strained relationship with her ex-boyfriend, who worked at the university.
“She feared for her life,” Diaz says. He also claimed that the ex-boyfriend was dealing drugs outside the house and had physically assaulted her. Diaz sent News 12 photos of Sackett with bruised hands, fingers, and chunks of her hair ripped out.
News 12 has been unable to contact Sackett’s former boyfriend and will not name him because he has not been charged with any wrongdoing.
New Rochelle police report no previous calls to the residence, and they are currently investigating Sackett’s death. They believe Sackett died of natural causes.
However, her family doesn’t agree, and they’ve given News 12 her death certificate, which confirms the ongoing investigation into the cause.
“The death isn’t even under investigation. “They’ve pretty much written it off,” Diaz claims.
Sackett was not associated with Iona University, which expressed its condolences for his passing.
Last week, Sackett’s funeral service took place.
Diaz believes the university ignored alleged problems between the couple and is covering up her death.
“We want someone to look into this,” Diaz says. “There’s just so many unanswered questions.”
