Mexico Cancun: British tourist, 58, found dead in pool of blood in hotel room with wife found beside him rushed to hospital

A British tourist, 58, has been found dead in a pool of blood in his hotel room in Mexico. Detectives raced to the scene after the alarm was raised at a city hotel in the resort of Cancun just after 5am local time yesterday morning (Tuesday 16 April). 

His 53-year-old wife was found beside him with cuts to her arms and was taken to hospital. According to The Mirror, unconfirmed reports say she may have been under the effects of an unknown substance. The paper adds that sources close to the ongoing investigation said she had now been released and the cuts were not “deep ones”.

Initial unconfirmed reports pointed to a possible crime of passion. The man found dead is said to have been discovered with a broken bottle between his legs and blood around the room as well as on his arms and chest.

Local prosecutors said in their first official comments an investigation is still ongoing but they are currently treating the incident as a possible suicide pact which ended with only the husband taking his own life. No arrests are thought to have been made but her current whereabouts are not known. 

Some Mexican local newspapers started reporting yesterday that the case was being treated as a homicide and the dead man’s wife was a suspect. Last night prosecutors distanced themselves from the idea the death was linked to a crime in their first official statement on the incident. 

Sources confirmed both the dead man and his wife were British. A spokesman for the Attorney General’s office in the state of Quintana Roo, which Cancun is part of, said: “After receiving reports a foreign tourist had died in a hotel in the municipality of Benito Juarez, an investigation was launched to clarify what had happened. The initial lines of investigation are pointing to this tragic incident being a possible suicide, in which two people had the intention of ending their lives.”

The spokesman added: “There is currently close co-operation with the consulate to offer the support the families involved need.” For mental health support, contact the Samaritans on 116 123, email them at [email protected] or visit samaritans.org to find your nearest branch.