FBI Joins Probe Into Mysterious Deaths Of Americans At Dominican Republic Resorts
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is helping to investigate the mysterious deaths of at least three American tourists who died suddenly while staying at the same resort in the Dominican Republic.
According to the U.S. Embassy in Santo Domingo, officials in the Dominican Republic asked the FBI to assist in conducting toxicology analysis on the bodies and the resorts run by the Bahia Principe Hotels & Resorts.
"The safety of U.S. citizens that live in, work in, and visit the Dominican Republic remains our highest priority," Robin Bernstein, the U.S. Ambassador to the Dominican Republic, said in a statement to ABC News. "These incidents are tragic and we offer our deepest condolences to those personally impacted."
FBI officials also said toxicology reports may take up to 30 days.
"We ask everyone to be patient while these investigations run their course," the statement reads.
The FBI's probe began after an engaged Maryland couple and a Pennsylvania woman died in neighboring Grand Bahia Principe resorts within a five-day span in May.
The relatives of Edward Nathaniel Holmes, 63, and Cynthia Ann Day, 49, want independent autopsies performed on the couple, who Dominican authorities say they died of respiratory failure and pulmonary edema.
The couple died just days after Miranda Schaupp-Werner, 41, was found dead at the Luxury Bahia Principe Bouganville hotel at the same resort. Schaupp-Werner’s cause of death was the same as Holmes and Day.
Although no details have been released surrounding the death of Holmes and Day, Schaupp-Werner’s husband said she died suddenly in her hotel room after having a drink from the in-room minibar.
An official at the U.S. Department of State said they are "actively monitoring" the investigations into the deaths of the three Americans.
"At this point, we are not aware of any connection between these incidents," the official told ABC News in a statement.
Last year, two other American tourists died under similar circumstances at the same resort.
Yvette Monique Sport, of Philadelphia, died at the Bahia Principe last year after having a drink from the minibar. Sport’s family said she went to bed and never woke up.
Dawn McCoy, of Maryland, said her husband, Nate, suddenly fell ill while they were staying at the same resort. His cause of death was listed as pulmonary edema and a heart attack.
In April of 2019, Robert Wallace fell ill and died after having a drink at the minibar of the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in the Dominican Republic. Last year, David Harrison of Maryland died at the same resort.