Melissa Kerry Samnath, 37, died from blunt force trauma injuries while on a birthday trip to Jamaica. Before her death, she sent her family a desperate text message urging them to ‘call the cops’.
A woman has tragically died following severe blunt force trauma sustained during a holiday in Jamaica. In a disturbing twist, her relatives first learnt of the tragedy through a phone call from the mother of her alleged murderer.
The victim’s family in New York received a telephone call from a woman informing them that Melissa Kerry Samnath had been killed while in Jamaica.
Just weeks earlier, they had received a chilling text message from Samnath, sent shortly before 11pm on the evening of her arrival from Queens Village in New York.
The message stated, “I need you to call the cops. … Look at my location … It is a pink house.” It arrived just over an hour before what would have been her 37th birthday, marking the final communication her family received from her.
Last Wednesday, Samnath’s niece was required to formally identify her body ahead of a post-mortem examination, which determined she suffered fatal blunt-force trauma injuries to her head.
According to a statement from the Jamaica Constabulary Force, officers were notified on 29 April that Melissa Kerry Samnath had died shortly after being dropped off at Cornwall Regional Hospital in St James.
“She didn’t deserve that,” her niece told The Jamaica Gleaner, using the pseudonym Janice Wynter. She described her aunt as “one of the most loving persons ever”.
“My aunt was very helpful and family-oriented. When my grandfather died – her father – she was the one taking care of my other aunt and grandma,” Wynter remarked. “It has been hard on us. 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.”
Officers suspect Samnath connected with her alleged murderer through the internet before travelling to Jamaica to mark her birthday. Authorities eventually traced her to the suspect’s residence in Norwood, St James, though he had already fled the scene.
Investigators reportedly found significant bloodstains and several of Samnath’s possessions within the male’s dwelling. Despite evident signs of violence, neighbours claimed they heard no screams or indications of distress during the evening of the killing, leading detectives to consider whether Samnath may have been silenced.
Authorities have reviewed CCTV footage capturing the suspect transporting Samnath’s luggage while she followed behind from her Airbnb accommodation.
“His mother called to tell us she got a phone call from him saying he killed her and dropped her off in a wheelchair at the hospital. He didn’t even have the audacity to take her into the hospital,” Wynter said angrily.
“There is a murderer on the run, and he is clearly in an area with a lot of tourists. He is dangerous. Women need to be careful because they don’t know what he is capable of.” A GoFundMe page has been launched to assist with covering the costs of the funeral.
The page reads: “Melissa was a strong, loving, and unforgettable woman whose warmth touched everyone around her. She loved traveling, exploring new places, and spending time with the people she cared for most. Her loss has left a deep pain in our family that words cannot fully express.”
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