Clubbing May Have Led to Murder for Brooklyn Woman

Police are investigating the disappearance of a 25-year-old Brooklyn woman who was out clubbing well into Wednesday morning and they suspect was murdered by a man she was seen leaving with. Laura Garza, who had just recently moved to Bay Ridge, spent the night dancing at Chelsea hot spot Marquee before taking off at 4 a.m. with the man she had been hanging around, 23 year-old registered sex offender Michael Mele. Mele turned himself into state police in yesterday in Newburgh, not far from his Wallkill apartment where they believe he may have committed a violent assault on Garza.

Mele is the son of retired MTA Assistant Deputy Police Chief William Mele and was currently on probation after a conviction of forcible touching. While police did not recover Garza's body at his home, they found blood stains and a suspiciously missing chunk of carpeting.

Mexican-born Garza--who both the News and the Post initially describe as "stunning"--had gone to Marquee Tuesday night with a co-worker from the Manhattan Payless she worked at. The co-worker had left earlier in the night and surveillance cameras show Garza dancing with Mele for close to an hour before leaving with him and another man, who is also being questioned. "It didn't look forced," NYPD spokesman Paul Browne said. He added, "We suspect foul play and are concerned for her safety."

Marquee is usually in the news for its high-profile clientele with celebrities like Derek Jeter and Paris Hilton having been spotted there. Over the summer it had been shut down on a narcotics bust after undercover officers were able to make a number of drug deals, including one for cocaine.

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By Billy Parker in News on December 6, 2008 9:59 AM

Comments [rss]

robert bluejacket

What a shame. The death of this beautiful young woman is so unnecessary.

Our society teaches disrespect for females.

Michael Mele is a scum bag. He, like so many other thugs, have declared war on women. When found guilty, he should swing from a long rope. Of course, you enlightened New Yawkers will house, feed and cloth him for the rest of his useless life.

thefacts

To save their liquor license, Marquee should hire former Paterson aide and renowned scumbag, Carl Andrews, who quit this week after a scandal broke regarding his trying to threaten the SLA Chair over a liquor license for Cipriani. Andrews will do anything for a buck. Even defend this dive and a raping murderer.

Amanda Harletsch

in all aspects of life

Amanda Harletsch

It sounds soooo disturbing that this place is a breeding ground for abuse: to get defenses down while drunk and dance with sex offenders, what a nice place to spend a night out.(?!!)

It all seems that everybody knows who and where these dick heads sex offenders hang out...

A young woman was killed by a sick piece of trash and all is business as usual. Just sickening that it repeats again and again.

Misogyny is one piece of heritage people don't seem to find problematic.

sadpanda

Over the summer it had been shut down on a narcotics bust after undercover officers were able to make a number of drug deals, including one for cocaine.

only one?

JacqueMehoff

a 23 yr old sex offender?

I thought most of them were middle aged men?

and, wallkill? they don't have any fresh meat for him in white trashkill?

Oh and GUILTY!