UPDATE: Woman found dead in Merrick

A woman was found dead in a cottage behind a home at 250 Smith St. in Merrick Wednesday night, according to police.

At a Thursday-afternoon press conference, Kevin P. Smith, the Nassau County Police Department’s chief of detectives, said that officers responded to a 911 call from the victim’s father at approximately 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday. The victim was identified as Suzanne Goldfarb, 48.

“The officers arrived at that location and were met by the complainant, who came … to check on his daughter,” Smith said. He added that Goldfarb’s father had called her on Tuesday night to invite her to dinner on Wednesday, but she declined the invitation.

When police arrived, Smith said, they found Goldfarb bound and unresponsive on a bed in an upstairs bedroom. The medical examiner’s office completed an autopsy on Thursday, he said, and determined that the cause of death was asphyxiation.

Investigators believe her death was caused by someone who may have been granted access to the home, and may even have had a key, according to Smith. “The windows were closed, there were no disruptions or displacements of any furniture near the windows that would indicate any entrance or exit in that fashion,” he said.

There were no signs of forcible entry, and all of the cottage’s doors were locked, including the screen door. “The likelihood of a random attack is lessened due to these conditions,” Smith said.

Goldfarb, who worked as a nanny, lived in the residence for about five years, he said. She was not married and had no children.

Smith said that there was no history of 911 calls from the house, adding, “There is no current robbery or burglary problem in that area of Merrick.”

As of Thursday afternoon, no arrests had been made, and police had not identified any suspects. Detectives ask that anyone with information about the crime call Nassau County Crime Stoppers at (800) 244-TIPS. All callers will remain anonymous.