Three Americans mysteriously found dead in their luxury Bahamas resort villas have been identified, but the cause of their deaths remains unknown.
Royal Bahamas Police identified the dead as couple Robbie Phillips, 65, and Michael Phillips, 68, both of Tennessee, and Vincent Chiarella, 64, of Florida. Chiarella was found Friday in his villa at the Sandals Emerald Bay resort on the island of Great Exuma after hotel staff reported an unresponsive man to local police. The couple was found moments later in their nearby villa.
“We really want to know what caused this,” Royal Bahamas Police Force Commissioner Paul Rolle said.
Chiarella’s wife, Donnis, 65, is in fair condition in a Miami’s Kendall Hospital. She was initially airlifted to a hospital in the Bahamian capital before being transferred to the Florida facility. The Phillipses were both found dead shortly after Vincent Chiarella’s body was discovered.
FROM EXUMA: Attempts to reach Sandals officials on the deaths of the three Americans have been unsuccessful, but here's what ewnews has learned thus far. Another American woman airlifted to NP on Friday for medical treatment is in stable condition, ewnews can confirm. (1/2) pic.twitter.com/Ushij82pXh
— Eyewitness News Bahamas (@ewnewsbahamas) May 7, 2022
All four victims had reported feeling ill the night before and had sought treatment for nausea at a local facility, according to authorities. The three bodies showed no signs of trauma but had apparently experienced convulsions, authorities said.
Rolle said blood samples from the victims are being studied at a lab in Philadelphia, with results expected in about a week. Officials also scoured the rooms for contaminants but nothing has been revealed so far.
“I’m not going to speculate,” Rolle said when asked about a possible cause of death.
A pathologist was scheduled to conduct autopsies Monday, and authorities were planning to repatriate the bodies and send their belongings back to their family in the U.S.
The Chiarella’s son, Austin Chiarella, said his father was found dead on the floor, while his mother was in bed and could not move.
“Her legs and arms was swollen and she couldn’t move and she screamed to get someone to come in the door,” Austin Chiarella said. He told ABC News his parents were celebrating their anniversary.
Bahamas Acting Prime Minister Chester Cooper insisted Saturday that foul play is not suspected.
Sandals, the Jamaica-based resort company which operates facilities in Jamaica, the Bahamas, and the Caribbean, declined to comment beyond an initial statement released over the weekend.
“It is with deep sadness that we can confirm the passing of three guests at Sandals Emerald Bay on May 6, 2022,” Stacy Royal, a spokesperson for Sandals, said in the statement. “A health emergency was initially reported and following our protocols we immediately alerted emergency medical professionals and relevant local authorities.”