Washington Heights Man Found Dead in Apartment

The apartment building at 552 W.174th St., where Manuel Paulino, 74, was found dead on Oct. 20th, 2012.

DNAinfo/Paul Lomax

WASHINGTON HEIGHTS — Police discovered the body of an elderly man in the man's apartment after neighbors called police to report a bad odor eminating from the 174th Street unit.

Manuel Paulino, 74, was found and determined to be dead at the scene by police who discovered the victim Saturday at 5:52 p.m.

Neighbors described Paulino as kind, and as a longtime fixture in the neighborhood. Many thought he lived by himself.

"He was a very nice man. He was no bother to anyone," said Manuel Almanzar, who said Paulino was quiet. "He would walk around the neighborhood and have a few drinks, that was it," he said.

Heraldo Lisanti, 64, a street vendor at 174th Street and  St. Nicholas Avenue, was saddened to hear the news. "He was a good man, a nice guy. Every Sunday he would buy a kebab from me and we would talk about life and stuff," he said. "He was always happy."

Police said the cause of death is unknown, and a medical examiner's report was pending.