The bodies of two Americans were found in their hotel room at a luxury resort in Mexico on Tuesday, and the family of one says carbon monoxide is the suspected cause.
The victims were discovered at the Hotel Rancho Pescadero in El Pescadero in the state of Baja California Sur. When paramedics arrived at around 9 p.m., the pair displayed no vital signs, local cops told ABC News.
The Baja California Sur Attorney General’s Office identified the Americans as John Heathco, 41, and Abby Lutz, 28. The office added that Lutz hailed from Newport Beach, California, but did not disclose where Heathco is from.
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In a statement Wednesday, the local attorney general’s office said both had died from “intoxication by substance to be determined.” Earlier reports of the deaths suggested more specifically that gas inhalation was suspected.
Heathco and Lutz had been dead for around 10 or 11 hours before they were found, the attorney general’s office said, adding that there were no signs of any kind of violence to their bodies.
A GoFundMe organized by Lutz’s family said the couple went to the hospital several days earlier to seek treatment for what they thought was food poisoning. The couple reported they were feeling much better, but the family received a call a few days later with news of their deaths.
The family said they were told the deaths were due to “improper venting of the resort” and could be carbon monoxide poisoning.
“Abby was supposed to meet up with her dad this week for Father’s Day and all of this is completely unexpected,” the fundraising page states. “Abby was the most beautiful soul and we will miss her so much.”
U.S. officials told the Associated Press they are aware of the deaths but could not comment on the incident over privacy concerns. The local attorney general is now overseeing the investigation.
Lutz's aunt, Karen Lutz, told The Daily Beast her niece was raised in Idaho but moved to California several years ago with her father and stepmother and secured a job as a nanny. She stayed in Newport Beach even after her family returned to Idaho, her aunt said, because she “loved the sun, loved the ocean, loved anything like that.”
She added that Lutz was a seasoned traveler who had previously visited Asia, Europe, and Mexico, and that her family was happy to know she died doing what she loved.
“The way she died brings a little bit of peace,” she said. “Because she was doing what she loved and she died peacefully. It was not a traumatic experience for her.”
Her partner, Heathco, was a technology developer and founder of a health supplements company based in Covina, California. He described himself on a personal website as a “huge health and wellness junkie” who also enjoyed DJing and producing music.
The couple's hotel in El Pescadero—located between Todos Santos and Los Cabos—where Heathco and Lutz were found is owned by Hyatt.
“We are truly heartbroken by this terrible tragedy,” Rancho Pescadero General Manager Henar Gil told The Daily Beast in a statement. “Our hearts are with the impacted families and loved ones during this unimaginable loss.”
Gil confirmed that there was “no evidence of violence” related to the deaths and the hotel is “not aware of any threat to guests’ safety or wellbeing.” “We are working to care for those who have been impacted and we are working closely with authorities as they conduct their investigation to understand the cause of death,” Gil added.
News of the deaths comes after a string of other deaths of U.S. citizens in Mexico linked to gas inhalation. Most recently, in late October, three Americans were found dead in a rented apartment in Mexico City. A post-mortem analysis later cited carbon monoxide poisoning as having caused their deaths.
