Latest news with #mysteriousdeath
Russia Today
2 days ago
- Russia Today
Ex-Ukrainian police chief found dead in Spain
A man who was found dead in Spain in June from an apparent drowning has been identified as a former Ukraine police chief who once served on an organized crime task force, according to media reports. The death took place in the same apartment complex in the coastal town of Villajoyosa where a Russian military pilot who defected to Ukraine was killed last year. According to El Espanol, the body of 61-year-old Ukrainian national Igor Grushevsky was discovered floating in a shallow community pool on June 29. Grushevsky had reportedly purchased a unit in the building a few months earlier. Reporters later identified the deceased as a retired police chief who led operations against organized crime in Ukraine's Cherkasy and Kirovograd regions during the 1990s. Ukrainian diplomats confirmed the man's identity on Monday. Grushevsky appeared to have kept a low-profile with no official record of residency in Spain, leading to speculation he may have been in hiding. Spanish officials have not announced any formal investigation into foul play. Neighbors told El Espanol they believed Grushevsky may have suffered a stroke. The body reportedly showed no external injuries, though blood was seen coming from one ear. The death, described by the media as 'mysterious,' has unsettled the local community as it comes less than a year and a half after the high-profile killing of Maksim Kuzminov, a former Russian military pilot who defected to Ukraine. Kuzminov was living under a false identity in Villajoyosa with Ukrainian state protection when he was shot in what appeared to be a professional hit. Kuzminov allegedly received $500,000 from Kiev for flying an Mi-8 military helicopter into Kiev-controlled territory. Ukrainian officials claimed his two crewmates were 'liquidated' during the operation but did not specify whether Kuzminov was directly responsible for their deaths. Western outlets have accused Russia of orchestrating Kuzminov's killing in retaliation. Moscow has neither confirmed nor denied involvement.
The Sun
12-07-2025
- The Sun
Mystery of Brit dad found dead in pool of blood with phone missing in Thailand as even ex-cop left baffled by case
A GRIEVING father has been left frustrated and heartbroken after his former British kickboxing champion son died in mysterious circumstances in Thailand. Offshore oil rig supervisor Steven Russell, 45, was found dead at home in Dumrongsuk Village, northeast of Bangkok, just before Christmas. 8 8 8 His father, John Russell, 76, said his family have been left without answers and are now trying to piece together how Steven died. That's because a Thai police probe, a UK coroner's inquest, and an investigation by a former cop all could not find a cause. John said he's now been left "desensitised" after having to deal with the grisly details of his son's death. He told The Sun: "From the photographs, he [Steven] was laying on a settee covered with a blanket, and the blanket was soaked in blood, on the floor was obviously dry blood. "He'd been there for at least three days." Steven's body was found after neighbours raised the alarm on December 22. They alerted the village headman and the police. Upon arrival, the house was locked from the inside, preventing entry. Rescue workers were called to get inside the house, and Steven was found lying on his back, covered with a blanket, on the sofa in the living room. Brit doctors in January were unable to confirm how he had died when his body was brought back to the UK for a formal coroner's probe. New CCTV of Brit 'mule' Bella May Culley 'smuggling £200k of cannabis' released as cops slam her claims she was coerced John said he believed it was unlikely that Steven's death had been caused by some traumatic and violent event. He said: "There was no signs of anyone breaking in. "And the autopsy said that all his organs were normal, they were healthy, there was no signs of any traumas, you know, no punctures in the skin. "All I'm saying is there's like an open verdict in my mind. I can't even, if someone asked me, 'why do you think you died', the answer is 'I don't know', and I don't know whether we'll ever know." 8 8 But, the father said that nothing could be ruled out - even poisoning. "The only thing we couldn't prove is if he'd been poisoned. "No way to prove it. Having said that, he was laying on a settee, he was covered up. "If you were in pain, would you have gotten up or would you have just laid there? Again, I don't know." The family has now been left trying to track down Steve's last moments to figure out what led up to his death. "What we're trying to do is put together everything, you know, to do with Facebook messages and everything, you know, to try and button that up. 8 8 "One of the hardest things was, I paid to have all his possessions sent back, and when I got them there was nothing there... we believe he had an iPhone, and we never got that back..." They're now trying to get access to Steven's social media accounts and speak to all his pals to see when he last messaged. Due to the condition of Steven's body, they believe he was dead for several days before being found. John said: "So obviously he died before the 22nd, probably around the 19th." Determining when Steven died could be important to trying to figure out how he died. The inquest into Steven's death was held at the Norfolk Coroner's Court in January. Dr Laszlo Igali, histopathologist, said the medical cause of death could not be ascertained, according to Norwich Evening News. A hearing in June again gave an open verdict on the cause of his death. John slammed Thai cops who had been unhelpful in every aspect of Steven's death. "I got a message on Messenger on the 22nd of December, saying, 'sorry for your loss.' And I wrote back and said, 'what do you mean?' "And the person came back and said, 'didn't you know Stephen died?' And that's how I found out." The grandfather has also paid tribute to his son, saying he was an incredibly determined person. "His ambition was to live in Thailand and work wherever." Steven had settled in Thailand in 2022, but had lived there on and off for a number of years leaving for extended periods of time to work on oil rigs. Steven had also been a champion kickboxer, winning the English and British WKU titles in the early 2000s. He turned pro and fought seven bouts with a record of one win, one draw, and five losses across the space of two years.
Daily Mail
28-06-2025
- Daily Mail
Tourist dies in mysterious Dominican Republic drowning three months after student whose body was never found
A Canadian tourist has been found dead on a beach in the Dominican Republic, marking the second recent mysterious fatality in the Caribbean country under unexplained circumstances. Dorian Christian MacDonald, 38, of Nova Scotia, Canada, was tragically discovered dead in the waters off a beach in Maimon Bay last week while vacationing in the Dominican Republic's popular Puerto Plata resort town, according to CTV News. The unsettling discovery comes just three months after 20-year-old spring breaker Sudiksha Konanki vanished from her resort - her body still missing, and the case clouded in more questions than answers. 'He wasn't just a friend. He was my brother in every way but blood - and maybe more so than some who share it,' wrote MacDonald's loved one, Tara McKenzie, on a GoFundMe page launched to help cover expenses. 'He was that person, his presence felt like it would just always be there. And now, somehow, just like that, he's gone.' On June 20th, MacDonald reportedly took a brief late-night walk alone on a beach around 2am, stepping out from his solitary stay at a hotel in Puerto Plata on the island's north coast, according to CTV News. Tragically, that would be the last time he was seen alive, as just an hour later, a harrowing 911 call was placed reporting a missing person. Both police personnel and Civil Defense - a government agency that supports local law enforcement with naval operations - arrived at the scene, where they discovered MacDonald's body in the water during high tide just after 4am. According to the fundraiser, the Canadian tourist tragically died from a sudden and unexpected drowning. 'On June 20th, while vacationing in the DR, Dorian died suddenly in a drowning accident,' McKenzie wrote. 'He was only 38 years old.' 'And now, the world feels a lot quieter and a whole lot less vibrant just knowing he's no longer part of it,' she added. A spokesperson for Global Affairs Canada (GAC) told CTV News that the department 'is aware of the death of a Canadian citizen in the Dominican Republic,' but 'due to privacy considerations, no further information may be disclosed.' Now, MacDonald's family - his mother, sisters, and close friends - are tirelessly working to bring his body back home to Nova Scotia, with the fundraiser launched to support the difficult process. 'We don't even get to even begin saying goodbye properly or grieve as we should until then,' McKenzie wrote. 'The process of repatriating someone from another country is a slow, expensive and deeply complicated situation that I wish on no one.' 'Between flights, international paperwork, funeral coordination, preparation of his body and all the red tape, we're looking at a cost of $10,000–$20,000 just to get him back,' she added. 'And honestly? We just want him out of that cold system and back where he belongs - with us.' As of Friday evening, the family had raised over $33,000 toward their $40,000 goal. 'Dorian handed out hugs, compliments and I love you's as freely as oxygen and always wanted and was willing to celebrate any and everything together, McKenzie added. 'We will carry your name, your stories, the memories, your ridiculous jokes and infectious laugh and incredible heart with us always.' Although the Dominican Republic is known as one of the Caribbean's most sought-after tourist destinations, several foreigners have been found dead under suspicious circumstances - including unexplained drownings and mysterious disappearances from guarded beaches. Sudiksha Konanki, a 20-year-old University of Pittsburgh student, vanished in the early hours of March 6 at the Riu Republica Resort on Punta Cana. The spring breaker was caught on CCTV walking to the beach with former Iowa high school wrestling champ, 22-year-old Joshua Riibe, at 4.15am. Dominican officials were quick to rule her death a drowning, but investigator Toby Braun - along with an oceanography expert - told that if that were the case, her body would almost certainly have washed ashore. Riibe, the 22-year-old college student last seen with Konanki, quickly became a central figure in the chaotic case - his passport was confiscated, and he was ordered to remain in the Dominican Republic under strict supervision. He came under suspicion after reportedly giving various versions of his drunken night out with Konanki, but provided more insight in a further interview with investigators before he returned to the US. In a reversal of his earlier statements, Riibe later claimed he had managed to bring Konanki to safety before she ultimately went missing. He was never named a suspect in the case. Konanki's family has since made the heartbreaking decision to ask the investigation to be closed as a drowning, as reported by Fox 5 DC. However, Loudoun County Sheriff Mike Chapman is urging Dominican Republic authorities to release all evidence related to the 20-year-old's case, citing key information that remains undisclosed - including the analysis of Riibe's cell phone and any text messages sent after Konanki's disappearance. Chapman has since dispatched two of his own detectives to the Dominican Republic to conduct an independent investigation.
Daily Mail
24-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Woman had heart missing after she died on vacation in Turkey
A mother died in mysterious circumstances on a family holiday and allegedly had her heart removed. Beth Martin, 28, from Britain, fell ill during her flight - something she initially blamed on food poisoning - and within hours of arriving in Istanbul began feeling 'delirious' and was immediately rushed to hospital. She died the next day. Beth's family claim they were kept in the dark about the seriousness of her condition and suggested doctors seemed unaware that Beth was allergic to penicillin. Her husband Luke, who had accompanied her on the family holiday with their two young children, was also accused of 'poisoning' his wife by the Turkish authorities and thought to be a suspect in her death. After days of battling with officials, Luke eventually arranged for Beth's body to be flown back to the UK and taken into the care of British coroners - who later said her heart had been removed. Beth's family has now been left desperately searching for answers about how and why she died - with Luke saying he has suffered the 'deepest level of trauma'. The Turkish Ministry of Health has now revealed Beth died after a 'cardiac arrest due to multiple organ failure' - but stopped short at explaining the exact cause of this. Officials also said that Beth 'did not undergo any surgical procedures' during a preliminary autopsy at the hospital, but would not say whether this was also true after she was transferred to the Forensic Medicine Institute for a second autopsy. The Health Ministry said: 'The patient was recorded in the hospital records as a "forensic case" in line with the statement of Martin's wife that they may have been poisoned by a meal they ate in their country before the trip, and the initial findings.' It added: 'A preliminary autopsy [without incision] was performed at the hospital in accordance with the forensic case procedure and his wife's request in this regard. 'The exact cause of Martin's death could not be determined with the current findings in the preliminary autopsy, which was carried out with the participation of the Public Prosecutor and the forensic medicine doctor. 'Beth Martin did not undergo any surgical procedures during her treatment at the hospital, and there was no question of any organs being removed.' The update still leaves Beth's family with so many questions and it is still unknown whether doctors missed a problem with her heart, or failed to acknowledge her allergy to penicillin. It has been alleged that doctors may have given her the drug before her death. The Marmara Pendik hospital, which sits a short distance from the city's Sabiha Gokcen international airport, is facing a negligence investigation over Ms Martin's rapid and as-yet-unexplained death, according to her family. But the Martins face a six-month wait for a coroner's inquest that could give them all of the answers they desperately need. 'It has been the worst and most traumatic week of my entire life,' husband Luke wrote on social media. 'If anyone can take anything away from this... hold your loved ones a little longer, don't sleep on an argument, take photos, take videos, tell them you love them more.' Friend Robert Hammond has also launched a GoFundMe in support of Beth's family, which has so far raised over $340,000. On the page he laid out the traumatic ordeal in detail. His account has been expanded upon by Ellie Grey, a wellness influencer who described Ms Martin as her 'very good friend' and appeared to have gone to Turkey herself to help. Hammond, writing on the page, said Ms Martin was taken to hospital on Monday April 28, where she was examined by medics and admitted. Mr Martin then left for a few hours to take his children back to the hotel, before he was summoned back to pay for a scan upfront. He then went to be with his children as his wife was admitted into intensive care. Her husband was, Mr Hammond says, 'banned from seeing her'. Mr Hammond adds: 'From there, no calls and no updates despite him trying to contact the hospital to see if his wife was OK. Just silence.' Overnight, Ms Martin was transferred to another hospital for an angiography - a type of X-ray used to show up blood vessels - due to what her family would be told were 'concerns with her heart'. This scan reportedly showed no cause for concern, according to Ms Grey. Ms Martin was then transferred back to the first hospital - which allegedly refused to provide paperwork to a private hospital contracted by her travel insurer. But Mr Martin and his wife's mother, who had flown out urgently to see her, were frustrated when they asked to see her on Tuesday - unaware of her rapidly deteriorating condition. The crisis was complicated by the arrival of Turkish police officers at the Martins' hotel, where they handed Luke a document stating his wife had died at even as she remained on life support - still alive, barely. Police then informed him he was suspected of poisoning her - before her death was even formally confirmed. As he watched his wife being loaded into a Turkish ambulance on Monday, Luke had told medics that she was allergic to penicillin - a common medicinal allergy affecting around one in 10 people around the world. But doctors at the hospital did not seem aware. Mr Hammond said: 'The doctor asked if Beth had allergies. Luke had already told the paramedics when Beth got in the ambulance that she was allergic to penicillin. 'And yet when told again, they were shocked to hear this information - they had no idea and had been treating her for hours at this point.' On Tuesday, Mr Martin received a call from the hospital, delivering the news that his wife was dead, two days after complaining of an upset stomach, with no clear cause. 'How did she die? We don't know,' Ms Grey said. 'Beth was ill before she got to Turkey. She started being sick on the plane, we started thinking it was a dodgy Chinese. 'The insurance company wanted to move her to a private hospital but the public hospital in Istanbul were not cooperating, they were being slow and delaying reports and not sending information over. They stopped her. 'They transferred her to another hospital to have an angiography done but they said the heart was fine and transferred her back and still didn't transfer her to a private hospital. then she died.' Ms Grey has suggested the hospital may have been negligent in its duty of care. She added: 'They said they did 45 minutes of CPR but anyone who has ever had CPR or has seen CPR knows how brutal it is. 'When I saw Beth in the morgue after she had her hair in two French plaits and they were perfect. There is no way they did CPR for 45 minutes, I know that.' While Luke was being interrogated by police, the hospital tried to pressure the family into telling them whether they planned to sue over the death and handed them a piece of paper that they refused to sign. 'All they went on about is are you going to sue the hospital, sign this bit of paper,' Ellie added. 'I said: "Is there something we should be suing for? Do you know something we don't? Because that's really suspicious".' Medical reports, while unable to confirm how Ms Martin died, have ruled out food poisoning as the cause of her death, Ms Grey claimed. Luke was then dragged before police to hear accusations of poisoning his late wife. But as it dawned on officers that he played no role in her death, they dropped the charge and let him go. The horrors, as alleged by Mr Hammond, continued: that Luke, alongside Beth's mother, was made to carry his wife's body in a zipped body bag, and threw thousands at repatriating her there and then, rather than waiting weeks for insurers. 'We got to see Beth for 30 seconds in the morgue then the guy (clicked his fingers) at us and handed us a corner of the bodybag that was zipped open and me, Beth's mum, Luke and a translator had to lift her body into a coffin,' Ellie Grey said in her video, appearing to corroborate the account. 'Losing her was traumatic enough but going over to Istanbul and seeing first hand the lack of respect and having to go the next day to the forensic examiner officer and saying "do not take any organs". 'They wanted to bury her or cremate her within 24 hours, we had to fight to repatriate her and pay ourselves.' Backing: A GoFundMe has raised hundreds of thousands of pounds for the Martin family Luke then had to deliver the message to his young children that their mother was gone. The final shock was to come as Beth arrived into the care of British coroners - who found that she had been returned to the UK minus her heart. 'The Turkish hospital has removed it. No explanation. No consent. They have invaded her body and they have taken her heart,' Mr Hammond wrote on the GoFundMe. Official advice from the Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO) notes that Turkish coroners can take small tissue samples as well as complete organs for testing 'without the family's permission'. 'You will not automatically be told if this happens,' the advice notes. And while they will often seek to return organs before a person's body is released, the FCDO adds, 'in exceptional circumstances, body parts might be kept without permission.' There is, it should be said, no suggestion that Beth Martin's heart has been illegally harvested. Ms Martin's friends and family are determined to fight until they get straight answers from the Turkish authorities. 'Luke has gone through something that no person should ever have to go through and he has done it with dignity and strength and pride for Beth,' Ellie Grey said. 'I swear to you, between her family and Luke and myself we are not letting this go. 'No way am I going to let them get away with taking her heart, lying about what happened and treating her as if she was somebody with no dignity. 'We will get answers.' An FCDO spokesperson previously said: 'We are providing support to the family of a British woman who died in Turkey and are in touch with the local authorities.'
