Death Of Texas Firefighter Found In Hotel Window Ruled Accidental — But Family Says He Was Kidnapped & Murdered
His family want the truth.
YouTube / CBSDFW A Texas firefighter was found dead in Cancun in suspicious circumstances that have left his family searching for answers about his final moments.
Elijah Snow was on a 10-year wedding anniversary trip with his wife, Jamie, when he was found dead in a narrow window at a Cancun hotel on July 19 — not the hotel he was staying in.
For the 35-year-old’s wife, two daughters, and extended family the tragic death remains a mystery in spite of what police say happened.
What happened to Elijah Snow? Texas firefighter found dead in Cancun.
The firefighter was found dead in a tiny 2ft x 2ft window of a locked employee bathroom, in an outdoor theatre at the rear of the Sunset Royal Beach Club, according to the resort’s general manager.
Snow and his wife were staying at the neighboring Royalton Suites Cancun, a separate but neighboring resort.
The manager, David Barcenas, says Snow’s body was discovered by a gardener arriving to work at 7 AM. The window is just 2 ft off the ground but it appears Snow was attempting to climb in backwards before becoming stuck.
Snow was found with his head, arms and upper torso hanging outside. There are no surveillance cameras in the area where Snow’s body was found.
Barcenas estimates that Snow’s death must have occured after 10:30 PM, one hour after the theatre’s final when the stage door would have been locked. This is also the time that bars must close in the area due to Covid restrictions.
Mexican authorities believe Elijah Snow’s death was an accident.
Mexican authorities investigating Snow’s death said there were no signs of violence and that the evidence "seems to indicate that it could have been an accident."
A forensic report listed the cause of death as "mechanical asphyxia due to thoracic-abdominal compression."
Barcenas suggested Snow may have been drunk and got lost while returning from the beach. However, this doesn’t explain why Snow would have been attempting to enter a tiny bathroom in a run-down building well-away from the beachfront hotel he was staying at.
Why a trained firefighter would attempt to enter a space he doesn’t fit in also seems somewhat suspicious.
Elijah Snow’s family believe he was kidnapped and murdered.
Snow’s family do not believe his death was an accident and have hired a local attorney to investigate the case further.
According to his father-in-law, Snow and his wife were on the first night of their vacation and had a couple of drinks in their hotel before deciding to go back to their room.
Jamie, Snow’s wife, noticed her husband stopped and returned to the bar. She went to bed but woke around 4 AM to discover he had not returned and went searching for him.
At around 8:30 she learned he had been found dead. The family’s attorney obtained photos showing Elijah Snow with bruises over most of his body except his head and face.
Snow’s step-father says it was "so out of character" for Snow "to try and get into a room he shouldn't be in."
"He just wouldn't do that. The only way he would do that is if he was in fear for his life. And he knew that was his last resort — to try to get through there," he added.
Snow’s body was laid to rest in the U.S. on Wednesday as his family continue their quest for the truth.
Alice Kelly is a writer living in Brooklyn, New York. Catch her covering all things social justice, news, and entertainment. Keep up with her Twitter for more.