Two tourists found dead in luxury hotel room in Mexico
An American couple was found dead in their room at a luxury hotel in Mexico earlier this week.
Local authorities told ABC News that police and paramedics arrived at Hotel Rancho Pescadero in the Baja California peninsula in Mexico Tuesday night. They found a man and woman with no vital signs.
The victims were identified as John Heathco, 41, and Abby Lutz, 28, according to a statement from the Baja California Sur Attorney General’s office obtained by ABC. The couple were originally from Newport Beach, California.
John Heathco and Abby Lutz (LinkedIn/GoFundMe)
The attorney general’s office confirmed that their cause of death was “intoxication by substance to be determined” on Wednesday.
Heathco and Lutz had been dead for about 10 or 11 hours when they were discovered. There were no signs of violence on their bodies, the attorney general’s office added.
Lutz’s family has set up a GoFundMe for her transportation and funeral costs.
In the fundraiser’s description, Lutz’s stepsister Gabrielle Slate revealed that the couple thought they had food poisoning and went to a hospital to get checked.
“We were told they were feeling much better a few days later,” she wrote. “We received a phone call saying that they had passed away peacefully in their hotel room in their sleep.”
Slate says they’ve been told it was due to improper venting at Hotel Rancho Pescadero, which is a luxury hotel owned by Hyatt. She added that it could be carbon monoxide poisoning.
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In a statement obtained by ABC News, Henar Gil, general manager of Rancho Pescadero, said that they don’t “believe that the cause of death was related to any issues with the hotel’s infrastructure or facilities, including carbon monoxide or a gas of any kind.”
“We will continue to cooperate with authorities as they look into the cause of this terrible tragedy,” stated Gil.
Lutz’s family is in mourning, saying that the 28-year-old was supposed to meet with her dad this week for Father’s Day.
“We are trying to get Abby home to us so we can have the funeral she deserves. Our family would be so grateful for any help,” reads the GoFundMe post. “Abby was the most beautiful soul and we will miss her so much.”
The US state department says it is monitoring local authorities’ investigation into the cause of death and will provide assistance if needed.