NASSAU, Bahamas,– The three American tourists who were found dead at the Sandals Resort in Exuma earlier this month, died from carbon monoxide poisoning, according to media reports out of the Bahamas on Monday.
The media, quoted Police Commissioner Paul Rolle, as confirming that the results of the samples sent to the United States for examination had been received by the Royal Bahamas Police Force. He said the results have been sent to the local pathologist and when a cause of death is released to the police, he will first release it to family members and then to the media.
The pathologist is expected to release the findings of the autopsy and toxicology report later this week, but the Tribune and Nassau Guardian newspapers reported Monday that the deaths were due to carbon monoxide poisoning,
Meanwhile – environment health scientists, physicians, and others who are investigating the incident had previously sought to assure citizens that the deaths of the visitors was an isolated incident.
The US tourists, husband and wife, Michael 68, and Robbie Phillips, 65, as well as Vincent Paul Chiarella 64, were found dead in two separate villas at Sandals on May 6. Chiarella’s 65-year-old wife, Donnis, was the lone survivor.
Health Minister Dr. Michael Darville told reporters last week that the victims’ families had requested a private pathologist to conduct separate autopsies.
Commissioner Rolle is quoted by the Tribune newspaper as saying that he is unable to say whether the request had been granted permission saying this was outside of his remit.
Sandals resort has not commented on the latest update but a statement from said Stacy Royal, a spokesperson for Sandals, noted that they are actively working to support both the investigation as well as the guests’ families in every way possible.
CMC
