Latest news with #GretaMarieOtteson
Yahoo
10-02-2025
- Yahoo
Bartender arrested over couple's deaths linked to tainted alcohol
A bartender was arrested in Vietnam on Friday for making toxic liquor that led to the death of a British and South African couple in January, state media said. The bodies of the couple were found at a resort villa in the central city of Hoi An on December 26, without any signs of physical trauma, violence or a break-in. According to the BBC, British citizen Greta Marie Otteson, 33, was discovered by staff dead on a bed in a first-floor room and her fiance, Els Arno Quinton, 36, was found dead on a bed in another room in the villa that had reportedly been locked from the inside. Police in Hoi An arrested 46-year-old bartender Le Tan Gia on Friday, police said in a statement on social media. Officers concluded Gia had used 70-percent medical alcohol, mixing it with water, lemonade and sugar to make limoncello on December 24, police said in the statement. "After taking the drinks, the two suffered serious methanol poisoning, leading to their death," the police statement said. Police confiscated several used alcohol bottles at the crime scene in January. The Quang Nam Public Security Department released a photo of an officer reading the arrest warrant against Gia, the bartender. The case is still under investigation. Otteson was a social media manager, and Quinton was a musician, the BBC reported, and a video announcing their engagement was posted on YouTube by videography company Red Eye Studios in December. A spokesperson for the U.K. Foreign Office said in a statement last month: "We are supporting the family of a British woman who has died in Vietnam and are in contact with the local authorities." The case came after six tourists died of suspected methanol poisoning after a night out in the Laos backpacker hotspot of Vang Vieng. Dua Lipa: The 60 Minutes Interview Kevin Hart: The 60 Minutes Interview Jeff Koons: The 60 Minutes Interview
CBS News
10-02-2025
- CBS News
Bartender in Vietnam arrested over tourist couple's deaths linked to tainted alcohol
A bartender was arrested in Vietnam on Friday for making toxic liquor that led to the death of a British and South African couple in January, state media said. The bodies of the couple were found at a resort villa in the central city of Hoi An on December 26, without any signs of physical trauma, violence or a break-in. According to the BBC, British citizen Greta Marie Otteson, 33, was discovered by staff dead on a bed in a first-floor room and her fiance, Els Arno Quinton, 36, was found dead on a bed in another room in the villa that had reportedly been locked from the inside. Police in Hoi An arrested 46-year-old bartender Le Tan Gia on Friday, police said in a statement on social media. Officers concluded Gia had used 70-percent medical alcohol, mixing it with water, lemonade and sugar to make limoncello on December 24, police said in the statement. "After taking the drinks, the two suffered serious methanol poisoning, leading to their death," the police statement said. Police confiscated several used alcohol bottles at the crime scene in January. The Quang Nam Public Security Department released a photo of an officer reading the arrest warrant against Gia, the bartender. The case is still under investigation. Otteson was a social media manager, and Quinton was a musician, the BBC reported, and a video announcing their engagement was posted on YouTube by videography company Red Eye Studios in December. A spokesperson for the U.K. Foreign Office said in a statement last month: "We are supporting the family of a British woman who has died in Vietnam and are in contact with the local authorities." The case came after six tourists died of suspected methanol poisoning after a night out in the Laos backpacker hotspot of Vang Vieng.
The Independent
04-02-2025
- The Independent
Second tourist dies after British woman found dead at Sri Lankan hostel
A second tourist has died after a British woman suffered a fatal illness at their hostel in Sri Lanka, according to reports. A 24-year-old British woman was taken to hospital after collapsing while staying at a hostel in the centre of Colombo. The woman was one of three tourists who fell ill - the others being a German couple sharing the room, according to local media reports. The 27-year-old woman from the German couple later died in hospital. Sri Lankan Police have launched an investigation into the deaths and have used a court order to close the hostel. The three tourists began vomiting violently before being rushed to hospital, according to local media outlet Gold FM News. Police are now exploring the possibility they are were poisoned after their room was sprayed with Phosphine - a deadly chemical used to kill bedbugs. It has been claimed their room was sealed for 72 hours after the fumigation on January 30. A post-mortem examination will be conducted once the British victim's family arrive in the Sri Lankan capital to formally identify her, police said. The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office said: 'We are supporting the family of a British woman who has died in Sri Lanka and are in contact with the local authorities.' It follows a string of British travellers falling fatally ill abroad in recent months, including weeks after another British woman and her fiance were found dead in a Vietnamese hotel just after announcing their engagement. Greta Marie Otteson, 33, and Arno Quinton Els, 36, were found in separate hotel rooms in Hoi An after drinking wine, according to police. Cleaners found the bodies of Ms Otteson, a social media manager and travel influencer, in her bed in room 101 of the Hoi An Silverbell villa and her South African partner Mr Els in room 201 on Boxing Day. That fatal incident came just weeks after six tourists died from methanol poisoning in Laos after drinking contaminated free shots at a backpackers' hostel. On Sunday, British survivor Bethany Clarke spoke for the first time about the incident in Laos which claimed the life of her childhood friend Simone White. 'If it looked dodgy, I wouldn't have drunk it,' Ms Clarke told Australia's 60 Minutes programme. 'We went up to the bar and I watched him pour them out from a glass bottle with a vodka label on it. I knew it would have been a local spirit, I wouldn't expect it to be an international spirit.' While she did not feel 'that bad' at first, Ms Clarke added: 'You physically can't move. It's like you're more or less paralysed. You can still walk but everything is much, much, much more difficult than it would be ordinarily. Mainly fatigue, nausea, I fainted.' Despite drinking the same number of mixed drinks as her friend and also being admitted to hospital, Ms Clarke went on to make a full recovery. 'It could have easily been me,' she said. 'We've just had to try and get through the funeral and obviously we want to try and spread awareness and make sure other people don't have to go through this. And then I can sort of start on my own journey of trying to come to terms with it all.' Alongside White, the other victims were Bianca Jones and Holly Bowles, both aged 19 and from Australia, Sofie Orklid Coyman, 20, and Freya Vennervald Sorensen, 21, who were both from Denmark, and James Louis Hutson, a 57-year-old from the US.
Yahoo
27-01-2025
- Yahoo
Engaged Couple Who Were Found Dead in Separate Rooms in Vietnam Villa Died After Drinking Tainted Limoncello: Report
A British woman and her South African fiancé were found dead at a villa in Vietnam last month, according to reports According to U.K. newspaper , local authorities have now confirmed that Greta Marie Otteson, 33, and 36-year-old Arno Quinton Els, who had gotten engaged three weeks before their deaths, died from methanol poisoning from contaminated alcohol "They were a loving couple with their life ahead of them," Otteson's parents said in a statement, per the publication A British woman and her South African fiancé who were found dead at a villa in Vietnam last month allegedly died from methanol poisoning, according to a report. On Dec. 26, 2024, Greta Marie Otteson, 33, and 36-year-old Arno Quinton Els' bodies were found in separate rooms by staff at the Hoi An Silverbell villa in Hội An, according to Vietnam News. The couple had reportedly taken out a lease on the nine-bedroom guesthouse and had been hosting guests at the property, per U.K. newspaper The Times, According to the publication, Vietnamese police have now confirmed that the victims — who moved to the country in February 2024 and had gotten engaged three weeks before their deaths — died from methanol poisoning from contaminated alcohol after consuming tainted "homemade" limoncello bought from a local restaurant on Christmas Eve. Vietnam News and and U.K. newspaper The Guardian previously reported that several empty alcohol bottles had been found at the scene. The local outlet stated in a Dec. 30 article that "initial findings showed no signs of scratches or external force on the bodies," citing Quảng Nam Provincial police. The day after consuming the drink, Otteson was said to have contacted her parents, Susan and Paul, to tell them she had "the worst hangover ever," adding that she'd been seeing "black spots" in her vision, The Times reported, adding that she and Els decided to try and "sleep it off." 'A local bar owner and a fantastic friend called over and wanted to take them to hospital but they refused. Sadly I think it was too late by then,' a source told the publication. 'Police forensics established the limoncello, which had been delivered, was the source.' Otteson's parents said of the couple in a statement, per outlet, 'The Vietnamese police have now confirmed that the cause of death was methanol poisoning, as verified by the autopsy results.' 'Both Greta and Arno were experienced worldwide travellers. They found their perfect home and were incredibly happy with their life in Vietnam, planning for the future,' they continued in the statement. "They were a loving couple with their life ahead of them. The tributes we have had from around the world are unbelievable. Our aim is to bring the people who supplied the alcohol and killed Greta and Arno to justice." According to The Guardian, both Otteson and Els had registered for long-term temporary residence at the tourist villa since July 4, 2024. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human-interest stories. Susan and Paul, who are from Wales but now live in Bahrain, reportedly flew to Vietnam for the couple's cremation earlier this month and have since returned to their home with their ashes, per The Times. The outlet didn't name the restaurant where the pair were thought to have purchased the tainted alcohol, but did report that it was still open and no arrests are thought to have been made as of yet. A spokesperson for the U.K.'s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said in a statement obtained by PEOPLE, 'We are supporting the family of a British woman who has died in Vietnam and are in contact with the local authorities.' The Hoi An Silverbell villa did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment. According to Otteson's Facebook profile, she was the founder and social media manager of a company called Not Sorry Socials, while Els' career included working as a stand-up comedian, per his Facebook page. In a video posted on the Red Eye Studios YouTube page in December, the couple — who according to Els met in the Middle East before moving to Vietnam — spoke about their engagement as they prepared to surprise family and friends with the news. "We're just two people from opposite ends of the world, living in Asia, doing it together," Els said in the video, "which is quite precious." The couple's death came just weeks after six tourists — including an American man — died in Laos in November 2024 after drinking alcohol that authorities suspected was tainted with methanol. Read the original article on People
