On Tuesday evening, June 13, two American nationals were found lifeless in their hotel room.
Around 9 pm on Tuesday, local law enforcement received a report of two unresponsive American tourists at Hotel Rancho Pescadero in El Pescadero, Mexico. By the time first responders reached the scene, the individuals had unfortunately passed away. Early investigations implicated gas inhalation as the cause of death.
The victims were subsequently identified as Abby Lutz, 22, and John Heathco, 41, her boyfriend. The Attorney General’s Office of Baja California Sur confirmed that Lutz was a Newport Beach, California resident.
The tragic event unfolded at Hotel Rancho Pescadero, an upscale resort affiliated with the Hyatt group.
Authorities verified that both victims had been dead for nearly 11 hours before they were discovered, with no signs of violent trauma on their bodies. They had reportedly sought medical help for symptoms they associated with food poisoning before returning to the hotel, where they were later found dead.
It was reported that the luxury hotel had dismissed earlier signs of a gas leak and had deactivated their carbon monoxide detectors due to complaints about alarm noise. Hotel staff and guests had previously warned management about potential leaks originating from outdoor fire pits and the presence of gas within the hotel grounds. Firefighters who arrived at the room where the couple was found encountered a strong smell of gas.