Americans couple found dead in Mexican hotel on Tuesday night died of ‘intoxication’ from unknown substance, according to local authorities

Victims identified as John Heathco, 41, and Abby Lutz, 22, from Newport Beach, California

Authorities in Baja California, Mexico, first said the cause of death was inhalation of gas, now changed to “intoxication by substance yet to be determined”

Police said the pair had been dead for at least 10 hours before their bodies were discovered in their luxury $500 per night, hotel room in Mexico’s Baja California

There was reportedly, no sign of violence on the bodies

Bereaved families said they “received a phone call saying {Heathco and Lutz], they had passed away peacefully in their hotel room in their sleep”

” We have been told it was due to improper venting of the resort and could be carbon monoxide poisoning,” Abby’s dad said

The Baja California Sur Attorney General’s Office identified John Heathco, 41, as one of the victims who was found dead in a Mexican hotel room

The two Americans found dead inside their luxury hotel room in Mexico’s Baja California peninsula Tuesday night have been identified as as Americans John Heathco, 41, and Abby Lutz, 22, from Newport Beach, California.
The victims were identified by the Baja California Sur Attorney General’s Office, who have stated that cause of death for Heathco and Lutz was “intoxication by substance to be determined.”
There were no signs of violence on their bodies.
Initially local authorities in Baja California pronounced cause of death for the pair to be inhalation of gas, a mishap which in recent years has befallen quite a few Americans visiting Mexico.

Abby Lutz, 22, [photo], was also found dead alongside Heathco in the luxurious hotel room Tuesday night.

Amending that first statement, the attorney general’s office told ABC News the pair’s cause of death was “intoxication by substance to be determined.”
However the bereaved families have come forward to reveal that Abby Lutz and John Heathco thought they had food poisoning and went to the hospital just days before they were found dead inside their luxury hotel room in Mexico’s Baja California peninsula, according to a GoFundMe shared by Lutz’s family.
In the days before their sudden deaths at the Hyatt’s luxury Rancho Pescadero resort, the couple seemingly got sick from food poisoning, according to Lutz’s family, who wrote on a GoFundMe to raise money for the funeral costs.
“While on a beautiful trip to Mexico, Abby and her boyfriend thought they had food poisoning and went to the hospital to get treatment.
“We were told they were feeling much better a few days later,” the family wrote.

Paramedics and police discovered the victims at around 9 p.m. Tuesday in their room at the Hotel Rancho, part of the Hyatt chain located in the resort city of Pescadero.

“We received a phone call saying that they had passed away peacefully in their hotel room in their sleep. We have been told it was due to improper venting of the resort and could be carbon monoxide poisoning.”
The grieving family noted that Lutz’s death was “completely unexpected,” and that her dad had been looking forward to seeing her this weekend for Father’s Day.
“We are trying to get Abby home to us so we can have the funeral she deserves,” the family wrote on the fundraiser. “Our family would be so grateful for any help. Abby was the most beautiful soul and we will miss her so much.”

Inhalation of gas was the cause of death listed by local authorities as the couple’s cause of death. Today the Attorney General said Heathco and Lutz, died from “intoxication by substance yet to be determined”

By Thursday afternoon, the crowd funding for funeral expenses had raised over $15,700 of the $20,000 goal.
There were no signs of violence on either of the couple’s bodies when first responders found them around 9 p.m. in their room at the Pescadero, where rooms cost over $500 a night.
The couple had been dead for about 10 to 11 hours before their bodies were discovered by police and paramedics, who were responding to reports of the two Americans being unconscious, authorities said.

Heathco and Lutz [photo], from Newport Beach, California, had been dead for at least 10 hours before their bodies were discovered

Local authorities first said the pair’s cause of death was inhalation of gas. There were no signs of violence on their bodies.
Paramedics and police discovered the victims at around 9 p.m. Tuesday in their room at the Hotel Rancho Pescadero, a Hyatt property where rooms cost over $500 a night.
Authorities made the tragic discovery after receiving reports that the Americans were unconscious. They were pronounced dead at the scene.

Authorities made the tragic discovery after receiving reports that the Americans were unconscious

The couple were found dead in their bed at the Hyatt’s luxury Rancho Pescadero resort, on Tuesday night

The local attorney general is currently overseeing the investigation.
Last October, three Americans were found dead at a rented apartment in Mexico, apparently of gas inhalation.