A camping trip in Puerto Rico turned deadly for an Ohio man after authorities and reports say he was shot in what has been described as an execution-style killing.
Tyler Wilkin, 35, who had relocated from Ohio to Puerto Rico in 2024, was discovered dead earlier this month with a single gunshot wound to the back of his head.
According to WKRC, Wilkin’s friends and relatives said he had been camping at Playa La Selva, a secluded beach near Luquillo, before he was killed.
Tyler Wilkin, 35, was allegedly shot in the head execution style, reports say, while on a camping trip in Puerto Rico. (Lilly Wright, GoFundMe)
Puerto Rican outlet TeleOnce reported that a body was found in the beach mangroves on July 10.
Iva Mo, a woman who said she was Wilkin’s girlfriend, told FOX 19 Cincinnati that he had been messaging friends from the campsite about hearing disturbing howling outside his tent, along with noises that sounded like fireworks.
Tyler Wilkin is survived by his parents and four siblings following his death. (Lilly Wright, GoFundMe)
The next night, Mo said, Wilkin sent another troubling text: “the howler is back.”
About two hours after that, he texted that the person was “getting rowdy lol.”
Wilkin’s loved ones have organized a fundraiser to help pay for the hire of a private investigator in the case.
Tyler Wilkin’s body was reportedly discovered by authorities on Playa La Selva in Luquillo, Puerto Rico on July 10. (Getty Images: Swathi Chirra)
The fundraiser page said in a recent post, “We are determined to leave no stone unturned in the pursuit of the truth, and these additional funds will help us cover any and all expenses that may arise during the private investigation. Tyler deserved a full life, and he deserves for every possible avenue to be explored.”
An obituary for Wilkin says he was born in Wilmington, Ohio and is survived by his parents and four siblings.
“He enjoyed life by the beach playing tennis, hiking, rock climbing, and activities to spend quality time with friends. Yet no matter where life took him, he was never too far from home. He made frequent trips back to be present with those he loved most,” the obituary said.
A Facebook user named Trigger Ray, who said he was Wilkin’s friend, created a post linking to the fundraiser that said in part, “Tyler was an awesome guy and a great friend, incredibly intelligent with more opportunities ahead of him than most folks I’ve ever met.”
INC News has reached out to Policía de Puerto Rico for more information on the case.
