The woman found dead and floating in the East River Sunday morning – a short distance from a blood-soaked Mercedes – now appears to have taken her own life, law enforcement sources said Monday.
The woman – believed to be in her 40s or 50s – was discovered in the water near Fort Totten at Cross Island Boulevard and Totten Road around 11:15 a.m., cops said.
A white Mercedes E-class with New York plates was parked about 50 yards away — with a knife on the passenger seat, and blood smeared across the rear driver-side door and the white leather interior.
Investigators now believe the woman, who has not been officially identified pending family notification, died by suicide, according to the sources.
It is unclear whether she was with anyone else at the time of her death.
A pedestrian called 911 after spotting the body floating along the rocky shoreline near a popular jogging path that winds through the heart of Little Bay Park by the Throgs Neck Bridge, sources said.
Locals were shocked by the disturbing scene in the popular but typically safe community destination.
“This is terrible. A dead body lying right there next to the jogging path and the car with blood on the doors?” Max, 48, from nearby Whitestone told The Post Sunday. “My daughter asked me if they were shooting a movie.
“It makes no sense. This is the busiest spot anywhere around, especially on Sundays. Everybody comes here to ride their bikes, rollerblade, go for a walk with their dog.”
“This is insane,” he added, “that it’s right here in the middle of it.”
If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts or are experiencing a mental health crisis and live in New York City, you can call 1-888-NYC-WELL for free and confidential crisis counseling. If you live outside the five boroughs, you can dial the 24/7 National Suicide Prevention hotline at 988 or go to SuicidePreventionLifeline.org.
