Lauren Pazienza is a former event planner who made headlines in 2022 for fatally shoving an 87-year-old Broadway vocal coach, Barbara Maier Gustern, on a Manhattan sidewalk. Pazienza pleaded guilty to manslaughter in August 2023 and faces eight years in prison. Here is everything you need to know about Lauren Pazienza, her background, her relationship, and her crime.
Early Life & Education
Lauren Pazienza was born in 1995 in New York City to Daniel and Caroline Pazienza. She grew up in Port Jefferson, Long Island, where her father runs a successful cesspool company. She has a younger brother and a sister.

Lauren Pazienza attended Ward Melville High School, where she was a cheerleader and a member of the National Honor Society. She graduated in 2013 and enrolled at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) in Manhattan. She earned an Associate of Arts and Sciences (A.A.S.) degree in Graphic Design in 2015 and a Bachelor of Science degree in Direct and Interactive Marketing in 2017.
Career and Lifestyle
After graduating from FIT, Pazienza worked as a marketing and events coordinator for several companies, including The Knot Worldwide, The Shade Store, and Lazzoni Furniture. She was responsible for planning and executing various events, such as bridal shows, trade shows, product launches, and store openings. She also managed social media accounts and created promotional materials.

Lauren Pazienza enjoyed a lavish lifestyle with her fiancé, Naveen Pereira, who works as a customer success account manager at Microsoft. The couple lived in a one-bedroom apartment in Shore Towers, a luxury high-rise building in Astoria, Queens. They got engaged on June 18, 2022, and planned to get married in October 2022. They often traveled to exotic destinations, such as Bali, Greece, Italy, and Mexico.
BIO/Wiki
Name | Lauren Pazienza |
Birthday | In 1995 |
Age (as of 2023) | 28 years old |
Birthplace | New York City |
Zodiac | Not Known |
Boyfriend | Naveen Pereira |
Parents | Daniel Pazienza Caroline Pazienza |
Siblings | A younger brother and a sister |
Relationship Status | Engaged |
Husband | N/A |
Marital Status | Engaged |
Education | Ward Melville High School Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) |
Alma Mater | FIT |
Nationality | American |
Religion | Christian |
Net Worth | $300k USD |
Social Media | Deleted her accounts after the incident |
Ethnicity | White |
Height | In Feet Inches: 5′ 4″ In Meters: 1.65 m In Centimetres: 165 cm |
Weight | In Kilograms: 53 kg In Pounds: 116 lbs. |
Hair Color | Light Brown |
Eyes Color | Brown |
lauren-p-81470293 | |
laurenpazienza | |
Homepage | Dreshare.com |
The Fatal Shove
On March 10, 2022, Pazienza’s life took a tragic turn when she attacked Barbara Maier Gustern, a renowned vocal coach who had worked with celebrities like Debbie Harry, Taylor Mac, and Justin Vivian Bond. Gustern was walking near her apartment on West 28th Street and Eighth Avenue in Chelsea around 8:30 p.m. when Pazienza crossed the street, shouted “Bitch” at her, and shoved her to the ground with force. Gustern fell on her head and suffered a massive brain hemorrhage. She was rushed to the hospital, where she died five days later.

Lauren Pazienza did not stop to help Gustern or call for help. Instead, she walked away and met up with her fiancé, who had been waiting for her nearby. According to prosecutors, Pazienza had been drinking wine with Pereira at Chelsea art galleries before the incident. She also had an argument with him and threw food at him after being told by a park employee that she could not eat there. Pereira later told investigators that Pazienza confessed to him that she had shoved someone who “might’ve said something to her, but [she] wasn’t sure.”

Lauren Pazienza tried to cover up her tracks by deleting her social media accounts and wedding website. She also left her phone with her aunt and fled to her parents’ home in Long Island. She turned herself into the police on March 23, 2022, after they released surveillance footage of her and received an anonymous tip.
Parents & Siblings
According to the web search results, Lauren Pazienza’s parents are Daniel and Caroline Pazienza. They live in Port Jefferson, Long Island, where Lauren allegedly hid after shoving Barbara Maier Gustern, an 87-year-old Broadway vocal coach, to her death on March 10, 2022. Daniel Pazienza runs a family-owned cesspool service company in nearby Holtsville, Suffolk County. Caroline Pazienza has been married to Daniel for 28 years and they have occasionally taken vacations to Aruba, France, and the Florida Keys.

Lauren Pazienza’s siblings are not clearly mentioned in the web search results. Some sources say that she has a younger brother and a sister, while others say that there is no information about her siblings on the internet. It is possible that Lauren Pazienza’s siblings are not public figures or do not want to be associated with her after the incident.
Boyfriend, Fiance & Relationships
According to the web search results, Lauren Pazienza’s boyfriend and fiancé is Naveen Pereira, a customer success account manager at Microsoft. They have been together since their childhood and got engaged on June 18, 2022. They lived in a luxury apartment in Astoria, Queens, and often traveled to exotic destinations, such as Bali, Greece, Italy, and Mexico.

However, their relationship was strained by Pazienza’s crime and trial. Pazienza fatally shoved Barbara Maier Gustern, an 87-year-old Broadway vocal coach, on a Manhattan sidewalk on March 10, 2022. She did not stop to help Gustern or call for help. Instead, she walked away and met up with Pereira, who had been waiting for her nearby. Pereira later cooperated with the investigators and testified that Pazienza confessed to him that she had shoved someone who “might’ve said something to her, but [she] wasn’t sure”
The Legal Battle
Lauren Pazienza was initially charged with first-degree manslaughter and two counts of second-degree assault. She pleaded not guilty and was released on $500,000 bail on March 26, 2022. Her lawyer, Arthur Aidala, claimed that she was not treated fairly by the justice system because she was white. He also argued that she did not have the intent to kill Gustern because she was intoxicated.

However, on August 23, 2023, Pazienza changed her plea to guilty as part of a plea deal with the prosecutors. She admitted that she intentionally shoved Gustern to the ground and caused her death. She faces eight years in prison and five years of post-release supervision. She is scheduled to be sentenced on September 29, 2023.
The Aftermath
Lauren Pazienza’s crime shocked and outraged many people, especially those who knew and loved Gustern. Gustern’s family and friends described her as a talented and compassionate person who touched many lives with her music and teaching. They said that she did not deserve to die in such a senseless way.
Gustern’s grandson AJ Maier Gustern said that Pazienza was “extremely lucky” to get the plea deal. He hoped that she would learn some empathy while serving her time behind bars. Pazienza’s family and friends have not spoken publicly about the case. They have reportedly been supportive of her throughout the ordeal.
Is Lauren Pazienza pleaded guilty? (Latest News 2023)
The latest news about Lauren Pazienza, the former event planner who killed a famous vocal coach by shoving her on a sidewalk, is that she has pleaded guilty to manslaughter and faces eight years in prison. Here is a summary of the recent developments in her case:
- On August 23, 2023, Pazienza changed her plea to guilty in Manhattan Supreme Court, admitting that she intentionally shoved Barbara Maier Gustern, 87, to the ground and caused her death on March 10, 2022.
- Pazienza accepted a plea deal with the prosecutors, who agreed to drop the assault charges against her. She will be sentenced to eight years in prison and five years of post-release supervision.
- Pazienza’s lawyer, Arthur Aidala, had previously argued that she was not treated fairly by the justice system because she was white and that she did not have the intent to kill Gustern because she was intoxicated.

- Gustern’s family and friends expressed their outrage and grief over her death. Gustern was a talented and compassionate person who touched many lives with her music and teaching. She has worked with celebrities like Debbie Harry, Taylor Mac, and Justin Vivian Bond.
- Gustern’s grandson, AJ Maier Gustern, said that Pazienza was “extremely lucky” to get the plea deal. He hoped that she would learn some empathy while serving her time behind bars.
- Pazienza’s sentencing will be on September 29, 2023.
Facts About Lauren Pazienza
- Lauren Pazienza was born in 1995 in New York City to Daniel and Caroline Pazienza.
- She graduated from the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) in 2017 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Direct and Interactive Marketing.
- Lauren worked as a marketing and events coordinator for several companies, including The Knot Worldwide, The Shade Store, and Lazzoni Furniture.
- She got engaged to Naveen Pereira, a customer success account manager at Microsoft, on June 18, 2022.
- She enjoyed a lavish lifestyle with her fiancé and often traveled to exotic destinations, such as Bali, Greece, Italy, and Mexico.
- Lauren fatally shoved Barbara Maier Gustern, an 87-year-old Broadway vocal coach, on a Manhattan sidewalk on March 10, 2022.

- Lauren Pazienza did not stop to help Gustern or call for help. Instead, she walked away and met up with her fiancé, who had been waiting for her nearby.
- She tried to cover up her tracks by deleting her social media accounts and wedding websites. She also left her phone with her aunt and fled to her parents’ home in Long Island.
- She turned herself in to the police on March 23, 2022, after they released surveillance footage of her and received an anonymous tip.
- Lauren pleaded guilty to manslaughter in August 2023 and faces eight years in prison and five years of post-release supervision.
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