A woman from New York City was brutally murdered on a trip to Jamaica to celebrate her 37th birthday, prompting a manhunt for her husband.
Melissa Kerry Samnath was pronounced dead at Cornwall Regional Hospital in St James on April 29 – just hours after she arrived on the island for her birthday celebration, according to the Jamaica Constabulary Force.
The woman was in serious condition when she was dropped off at the hospital by husband, Dane Watson, whom investigators believe she married in December.
He allegedly dropped Samnath off in a wheelchair outside of the hospital before disappearing, Samnath's niece told The Jamaica Gleaner.
The suspect's mother was then left to deliver the devastating news of Samnath's death to her family back in the United States.
'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,' the niece recounted.
'He didn't even have the audacity to take her into the hospital,' she added, noting that she is unclear how Watson's mother got the family's phone numbers.
But while the family was left reeling from Samnath's death, they realized the cryptic WhatsApp message she sent them shortly before 11pm that day was beginning to make sense.
'I need you to call the cops... Look at my location... It is a pink house,' she pleaded just one hour before her 37th birthday, according to the Gleaner.
Melissa Kerry Samnath, of New York City, was pronounced dead at a hospital in Jamaica on April 29, just hours after she arrived on the island for her 37th birthday celebration
Authorities in Jamaica are now searching for her husband, Dane Watson (pictured)
That pink house is apparently Watson's home in Norwood, St. James, where residents reported seeing a swarm of police officers descending on the property searching for him.
Watson was not at home, but detectives reportedly found pools of blood and some of Samantha's belongings.
'There was a whole heap of blood in his house in Norwood,' one neighbor told the Gleaner. '[He] beat her badly, man. Beat her in the head.'
An autopsy conducted on May 6 confirmed Samnath died from multiple blunt-force trauma injuries to the head, leading authorities to investigate her death as a homicide- though residents said they did not hear any screaming or signs of distress on the night of the murder.
Samnath had earlier been seen on surveillance footage following the suspect from her Airbnb as Watson carried her suitcase.
It is unclear whether she had willingly left the property.
Authorities are now urging Watson to turn himself in, as Samnath's family members try to grapple with her sudden death.
'She didn't deserve that,' her niece said, describing Samnath as 'one of the most loving persons ever.
'My aunt was very helpful and family oriented,' she explained. 'When my grandfather died - her father - she was the one taking care of my other aunt and grandma.'
Samnath, an accountant, was described as a 'strong, loving and unforgettable woman whose warmth touched everyone around her'
Samnath, an accountant, was the youngest of four siblings.
An online fundraiser to help the family pay for her funeral and memorial also describes her as 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,' it reads.
'Her loss has left a deep pain in our family that words cannot fully express,' the niece who created the fundraiser added.
'We are incredibly grateful for the love support and compassion that has already been shown during this heartbreaking time. Please continue to keep Melissa and our family in your thoughts and prayers, as we celebrate her life and cherish the memories she gave us.'
In an update on May 6, the organizer said any remaining funds from the fundraiser - which had accumulated over $10,800 as of Monday night - would be donated to organizations that support victims of domestic violence.
In the meantime, Samnath's niece warned that '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 you don't know what he is capable of.'
She added that her aunt's death 'has been hard for us.
'We can't understand why he did this to her. She wasn't an evil person. She was the baby of our family,' the niece told the Gleaner.
'Now we have to bring her body back to bury.'