Melissa Kerry Samnath from New York was pronounced dead shortly after being dropped off at a hospital in Jamaica on April 29

Melissa Kerry Samnath

Melissa Kerry Samnath.Credit : GoFundMe

A woman from New York was allegedly murdered while celebrating her birthday in Jamaica.

On April 29, police were alerted that a woman — identified as Melissa Kerry Samnath — had died shortly after being dropped off at Cornwall Regional Hospital in St. James, the Jamaica Constabulary Force said in a news release obtained by PEOPLE.

An investigation revealed she had been assisted to the hospital by Dane Watson, whom she is believed to have married in December 2025. Police are now attempting to locate Watson, who is a person of interest in connection with the murder investigation into Samnath’s death.

A post-mortem examination carried out on May 6 determined that Samnath died as a result of multiple blunt force trauma to the head. Evidence relevant to her death has been retrieved from a premises in Norwood, St. James, according to the Jamaica Constabulary Force’s news release.

Melissa Kerry Samnath

Melissa Kerry Samnath.

GoFundMe

Detectives allegedly found her belongings alongside pools of blood in the property, despite neighbors claiming they didn’t hear any screams or signs of distress coming from the home around the time she is believed to have been killed, The Gleaner reported.

Shortly before 11 p.m. local time on the night she arrived on the island, Melissa allegedly texted her relatives in New York pleading for them to contact the police, according to reports.

The last message they allegedly received from her said, “I need you to call the cops. … Look at my location,” per The Gleaner and TVJ. It was just over an hour before her birthday.

According to The Gleaner, Samnath’s niece was among the family members who identified her before an autopsy was conducted.

“She didn’t deserve that,” Melissa’s niece told the outlet, adding that her aunt was “one of the most loving persons ever”.

 

“My aunt was very helpful and family-oriented,” she continued, per The Gleaner. “When my grandfather died — her father — she was the one taking care of my other aunt and grandma.”

“It has been hard on us. We can’t understand why he did this to her,” Samnath’s niece added. “She wasn’t an evil person. She was the baby of our family. Now we have to bring her body back to bury.”

Detectives are urging her husband to report to the Freeport Police Station in St. James or the nearest police station amid their ongoing investigation into Melissa’s death.

A GoFundMe page to help raise funeral and memorial expenses has raised over $10,000 of a $16,000 goal since it was launched a week ago.

“Melissa was a strong, loving, and unforgettable woman whose warmth touched everyone around her,” the fundraiser’s organizer wrote. “She loved traveling, exploring new places, and spending time with the people she cared for most. Her loss has left a deep pain in our family that words cannot fully express.”

Melissa Kerry Samnath

Melissa Kerry Samnath.GoFundMe

“As our family navigates this difficult time, we are preparing to honor Melissa with the peaceful and beautiful farewell she deserves,” the organizer continued. “For anyone who has asked how they can support, this page has been created to help with funeral and memorial expenses. While there is absolutely no obligation to contribute, any donation, prayer, or kind message means more to our family than we can put into words.”

A representative from the U.S. Embassy in Jamaica, the St. James Municipal Corporation and the Jamaica Ministry of Tourism did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for further comment.