Authorities are investigating after an American couple was found dead at an upscale resort on Mexico’sBaja California peninsula this week, Mexican authorities said.
The bodies of John Heathco, 41, and Abby Lutz, 28, were discovered in their room Tuesday at the Hotel Rancho Pescadero in El Pescadero, according to the victims’ family and a statement released from the Baja California Sur Attorney General’s Office, translated from Spanish.
The couple, both from Newport Beach, California, were found dead about 9 p.m. at the five-star resort near Cabo. According to the office, investigators found no signs of violence in the room.
Heathco was found unresponsive in the shower and his girlfriend was found unresponsive in bed.
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Suspected carbon monoxide poisoning
An initial forensic examination found the couple died of intoxication by a substance local authorities said they were working to identify.
Forensic doctors “determined as cause of death, poisoning by substance to be determined,” the attorney general’s office said.
The victims’ family and the hotel where their bodies were found could not immediately be reached by USA TODAY on Friday morning.
Rancho Pescadero general Manager Henar Gil offered condolences to the family in statements Thursday to ABC News and NBC News.
Gil told ABC that the hotel staff doesn’t initially “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.”
“The safety and security of our guests and colleagues is always a top priority,” Gil said in a statement to NBC. “Local authorities confirmed there was no evidence of violence related to this isolated incident, and there is no threat to guests’ safety or wellbeing at this time.”
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Family says couple thought they had food poisoning
In a GoFundMe campaign for funeral costs, family wrote authorities told them the couple may have died of carbon monoxide poisoning due to improper ventilation.
In the post, created by Lutz’ stepsister Gabrielle Slate, she wrote the couple initially thought they suffered food poisoning and went to a hospital for treatment.
“We were told they were feeling much better a few days later,” Slate, of Utah, wrote. “We received a phone call saying that they had passed away peacefully in their hotel room in their sleep. We have been told it was due to improper venting of the resort and could be Carbon monoxide poisoning.
Natalie Neysa Alund covers breaking and trending news for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on Twitter @nataliealund.
