U.S. Woman Found Dead in Mexico Hotel Room While on Vacation

A Washington woman has been found dead in a hotel room in Mexico while on vacation with her boyfriend, according to her family.

Sativa Transue, 28, from Milton, Washington, had been with her boyfriend in Cancun, in Mexico, for the Thanksgiving holiday when she died.

Her sister, Mykayla Bolieu said she and others became concerned when a flurry of messages from Sativa were sent to their phones on Friday, just hours before she her body was found.

On Friday, messages were sent from Sativa's phone that mentioned she had gotten into an altercation and that stitches were needed, Mykayla said in a GoFundMe page.

She added friends and family became worried when they didn't hear from Sativa the following morning.

Concerned about the nature of the texts, Sativa's friends contacted the Milton Police Department.

Mykayla told KHQ: "We are so, so thankful for them [Sativa's friends]. They then went to the FBI with everything Sativa told them that night. They have such kind hearts, and we will never be able to thank them enough."

She claimed the family was called by the U.S. consulate at 9 a.m. on Saturday who said Sativa had been found dead in her hotel room.

Mykayla told the network: "At this point, they weren't sure what happened, but since then her death has been ruled as a homicide.

"We won't have an official cause of death until a family member gets down there to facilitate on our behalf. With COVID, and this being a crime in a foreign country, everything has been moving slowly."

On a GoFundMe page, Mykayla said: "This was so unexpected. She was fine when I went to sleep Friday and wasn't when I woke up Saturday. We want answers and justice for Sativa as well as for everyone who knew her.

"We need help with the costs of bringing her body and belongings back to the United States for an autopsy report and thorough investigation."

The statement continued: "We are now finding out they are adding extra costs as they will only fly her to Seattle and then the funeral home that's going to get her has to drive to her and back."

As of Tuesday morning, the GoFundMe page to return Transue's remains to the U.S. has raised $19,775 out of a $40,000 target.

Transue's family added any leftover funds would be donated to a domestic violence charity and concluded: "If anyone is struggling with domestic violence please reach out to your loved ones and let them know. Don't wait until it's too late."

Newsweek has contacted the FBI in Seattle for comment.