A homeless man’s strange death in a $279 per night Times Square hotel leaves investigators baffled after witnesses heard desperate cries for him to “come back” seconds before the fatal plunge.
At a Glance
- Emmanuel Velez, 39, died after falling from the 15th floor of a Times Square hotel onto a high school roof
- A red-haired woman was questioned but no arrests were made
- Guests reported hearing shouting and someone crying “come back!” before the fatal fall
- Authorities found Velez unresponsive on the roof shortly before 6:30 am on April 6
- Police have ruled the death accidental despite the mysterious circumstances
Mysterious Plunge From Luxury Hotel
In the heart of Times Square, where the bright lights distract from the darker realities, homeless man Emmanuel Velez somehow found himself staying in a $279-per-night hotel room on West 45th Street near Seventh Avenue. This extravagant accommodation raises more questions than answers about a man with no fixed address. How did Velez, living on the streets, secure a room in one of the most expensive tourist areas in America? The 39-year-old’s body was discovered on the roof of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis High School at 120 West 46th Street on the morning of April 6, after he plunged from his 15th-floor window.
First responders arrived at the scene shortly before 6:30 am, finding Velez unresponsive. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The aftermath brought a flurry of police activity to the area as investigators tried to piece together what happened in the moments before the fatal fall. A red-haired woman was taken in for questioning, though police have since made no arrests. The authorities have ruled the death accidental, but the circumstances surrounding the fall remain shrouded in mystery and witness accounts paint a disturbing picture of what might have transpired.
🚨🇺🇸MAN DIES AFTER FALLING FROM 15TH FLOOR OF TIMES SQUARE HOTEL—COPS INVESTIGATING FOUL PLAY
A 39-year-old man fell to his death from the 15th floor of the 45 Times Square Hotel earlier today, and police say they still don’t know if it was an accident—or something far more… pic.twitter.com/xuHbOiHxjH
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) April 5, 2025
Chilling Witness Accounts
Hotel guests report hearing a series of disturbing sounds in the moments leading up to Velez’s death. An Italian tourist named Davide recounted waking up to shouting from somewhere in the hotel. The commotion apparently escalated into something more desperate as the situation unfolded. What’s particularly haunting about this incident is that multiple witnesses described hearing a woman frantically calling for someone to “come back” just before the fatal fall, suggesting Velez may have been threatening to jump or was in some kind of distress.
Another hotel guest, Anna Katsrarou from Germany, described hearing a loud bump, followed by intense crying and a crashing sound. The sequence of noises suggests a chaotic scene unfolding inside the hotel room. “Then someone was crying, ‘Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God,’ and then I heard police,” Katsrarou told reporters. The timing of these cries, followed immediately by the arrival of law enforcement, paints a picture of rapid escalation and tragic conclusion. This wasn’t just someone accidentally falling – there was evident distress in that room.
Unanswered Questions
While authorities have ruled Velez’s death accidental, several perplexing elements remain unexplained. How did a homeless man secure lodging in such an expensive hotel? Who was the red-haired woman taken in for questioning, and what was her relationship to Velez? Most importantly, why were there desperate pleas for someone to “come back” before the fatal fall? The strange circumstances have left many speculating about what really happened on the 15th floor that morning. Investigators have been tight-lipped about any further details, and attempts to contact Velez’s family for comments have been unsuccessful.
The tragic death highlights the often-invisible struggles of the homeless population in New York City, where mental health crises frequently go unaddressed until they escalate to tragic outcomes. In a city where luxury and destitution exist side by side, Velez’s story stands as a stark reminder of how quickly life can end, even in one of the most visited tourist destinations in the world. As authorities conclude their investigation, the full story of what happened in that hotel room may never be known, leaving Velez’s final moments as mysterious as they were tragic.
