A New York accountant who traveled to Jamaica to celebrate her birthday was allegedly murdered shortly after arriving on the island, with police now conducting an active manhunt for her husband, who is considered a person of interest in the case.
Melissa Kerry Samnath, originally from Queens Village, New York, arrived in Jamaica on April 29, 2026, to celebrate her birthday. Shortly after landing, she reportedly sent urgent WhatsApp messages to relatives in New York pleading for help, according to a Gleaner report.
In one of the final messages, she wrote: “I need you to call the cops. … Look at my location … It is a pink house,” sent just over an hour before her birthday. It was the last known communication her family received from her.
According to a Gleaner report, the family later received a distressing phone call from Jamaica in which a woman identified as the suspected killer’s mother allegedly told relatives that Samnath had been killed. The call, combined with her final messages, left the family devastated and searching for answers.
Police say Samnath was taken to Cornwall Regional Hospital in St James by her husband, Dane Watson, whom investigators believe she married in December 2025.
Authorities allege Watson assisted her from a vehicle before leaving the hospital shortly afterward. Hospital staff later pronounced her dead and alerted police.
Watson has since been named a person of interest and is being actively sought by investigators. Police are urging him to report to the Freeport Police Station in St James or the nearest police station.
Autopsy confirms blunt force trauma
A post-mortem examination conducted on May 6 determined that Samnath died as a result of multiple blunt force trauma injuries to the head, according to investigators.
The findings confirmed the case is being treated as a homicide investigation.
Police also confirmed that evidence relevant to the investigation was recovered from a premises in Norwood, St James, where Samnath is believed to have been taken.
According to a Gleaner report, detectives found her belongings alongside pools of blood inside the property. Residents in the area reported seeing a heavy police presence but said they did not hear any screams or disturbances on the night of the incident.
Surveillance footage reportedly shows the suspect carrying Samnath’s suitcases while she followed behind him from an Airbnb, though it remains unclear whether she left willingly.
Despite extensive searches and multiple police operations, the suspect has not yet been located.
Samnath’s niece, Janice Wynter, said the hardest moment was identifying her aunt’s body before the autopsy confirmed the cause of death.
“She didn’t deserve that,” she said, describing her aunt as “one of the most loving persons ever.”
She added that Samnath was deeply family-oriented. “My aunt was very helpful. When my grandfather died — her father — she was the one taking care of my other aunt and grandma,” Wynter said.
“We can’t understand why he did this to her. She wasn’t an evil person. She was the baby of our family. Now we have to bring her body back to bury.”
A GoFundMe campaign has been set up to assist with funeral and memorial expenses, raising over US$10,000 of a US$16,000 goal within a week of being launched.
The organizer described Samnath as “a strong, loving, and unforgettable woman whose warmth touched everyone around her,” noting that she loved traveling, exploring new places, and spending time with loved ones.
“As our family navigates this difficult time, we are preparing to honor Melissa with the peaceful and beautiful farewell she deserves,” the fundraiser stated. It added that while donations are appreciated, prayers and messages of support are also deeply valued.
Investigators say the suspect had been living in western Jamaica and is believed to frequent areas across St James, St Ann, and St Mary.
Police continue to urge Watson to come forward and are asking members of the public with information to assist in locating him.
The investigation remains ongoing.
