40 frozen dead cats found inside storage unit in Long Island City

ByEyewitness News WABC logo
Tuesday, October 18, 2016
40 cats found frozen in storage locker
Diana Rocco reporting live

LONG ISLAND CITY, Queens (WABC) -- A man who purchased storage unit Monday afternoon in Long Island City made a gruesome discovery, at least 40 dead cats inside two freezers.

The auction was held by American Self-Storage Facility for abandon storage lockers.

The auction winner, who paid $150, went to review the locker and found dead frozen felines.

Eyewitness News obtained exclusive cell phone video of the discovery:

Exclusive video

During investigation, police found at least 40 frozen cats, including one skinned cat in an aluminum tray.

The cats were inside two four by three feet freezers. Police said the animals were stacked on top of each other and frozen together. They couldn't even count exactly how many there were.

Detectives said once they opened the freezers, it was the smell of death. They had to change their clothes it was so bad.

The ASPCA took the deceased animals for necropsies. They say that the procedures will take a few days to complete because they have to wait for cats thaw out.

Authorities need to wait for the necropsy results to determine if there will be charges.

The unit was rented out two years ago by a 66-year-old woman paying month-to-month who stopped paying in July.