Police are reviewing surveillance video after the unidentified woman was discovered inside a Flushing business Friday afternoon.
NEW YORK CITY, NY — An unidentified woman was found dead with multiple stab wounds inside a Queens storefront Friday afternoon, prompting a police investigation and a search for a man seen leaving the location around the time of the discovery.
Police responded to a 911 call at about 4:30 p.m. Friday at 36-17 164th St. in Flushing, between Crocheron Avenue and Depot Road. Officers found the woman unconscious and unresponsive inside the business, authorities said. Emergency medical personnel pronounced her dead at the scene. Police had not released her name or age as investigators worked to establish her identity.
The woman was found without clothing and had suffered multiple stab wounds, according to law enforcement sources cited by local news outlets. NBC New York reported that no identification was found with her body. Authorities have not publicly disclosed what led to the stabbing, how long the woman had been inside the storefront or whether she had any known connection to the business.
Police were reviewing surveillance video from the area, CBS New York reported. Investigators said a heavyset man was seen leaving the location around the time of the killing. Law enforcement sources told NBC New York that investigators were looking for a bald, heavyset man who had been wearing a black hoodie, blue jeans and construction boots. Police had not publicly identified him or announced that he had been charged with any crime.
The storefront appeared to advertise massage or skin care services. People who live nearby told NBC New York that the location had previously operated as a skin care business before being closed for several years. Some residents said activity had resumed at the storefront in recent months, though they were unsure what type of business was operating there.
The New York City Department of Buildings had received a complaint about the address one day before the woman was found, according to multiple reports. The complaint alleged that the establishment was being used for illegal adult activity in violation of zoning rules. The allegation had not been established as fact, and authorities have not said the complaint had any connection to the woman’s death. ABC7 reported there was no indication that investigators had linked the two matters.
Residents interviewed after the discovery described the surrounding Flushing neighborhood as generally quiet. CBS New York reported that police continued gathering evidence at the scene and examining surveillance footage as they worked to determine who was inside the storefront before the woman was found.
The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner is responsible for determining the official cause and manner of death. Police had not disclosed a possible motive, and no arrest had been announced in the latest available reports. The woman’s identity also remained unreleased as the investigation continued.
Author note: Last updated November 8, 2026.