A New York accountant’s birthday trip to Jamaica ended in tragedy when she was brutally murdered, just hours after her arrival. Disturbing messages sent to her family during her final moments hint at the peril she faced, as authorities have identified her husband as a person of interest in the case.
On April 29, her 35th birthday, Melissa Kerry Samnath succumbed to blunt force trauma to the head at Cornwall Regional Hospital in St. James, Jamaica, according to a statement from the Jamaica Constabulary Force on Facebook.
In the hours leading up to her death, Samnath sent a desperate message to her family, urging them to alert the police. “I need you to call the cops. … Look at my location … It is a pink house,” she communicated via WhatsApp shortly before 11 p.m. on April 28, as reported by the Jamaica Gleaner.
Samnath had only just arrived on the island earlier that day to celebrate her birthday. However, her husband, Dane Watson, reportedly left her at the hospital with critical injuries mere hours after she reached out to her family, according to authorities.
Tragically, the Queens resident was pronounced dead a few hours later, leaving her family and friends in shock and mourning.
The Queens resident was pronounced dead hours later.
Police have launched an investigation into Samnath’s death, where they found evidence of a crime scene at a residence in St. James Parish, near Montego Bay, on the Northwest end of the island. Officials didn’t disclose who owned the residence.
Pools of blood and some of Samnath’s belongings were found inside the house, the Gleaner reported.
Watson has been identified as a person of interest in connection with Samnath’s murder investigation.
The couple had been spotted on surveillance footage walking from Samnath’s Airbnb to Watson’s residence as he carried her suitcase hours before her death.
He allegedly called his mother to confess to killing his wife after dumping her off.
“His mother called to tell us she got a phone call from him saying he killed her and dropped her off in a wheelchair at the hospital. He didn’t even have the audacity to take her into the hospital,” Samnath’s niece Janice Wynter claimed to the outlet.
Watson and Samnath are believed to have married back in December 2025, according to police. The couple are believed to have met online before Samnath traveled to Jamaica for her birthday, according to the outlet.
“She didn’t deserve that,” Wynter added, describing her aunt as “one of the most loving persons ever.”
The suspected brutal murder shocked the quiet neighborhood of Norwood, with residents on alert for the wanted man.
“There was a whole heap of blood in his house in Norwood. Him beat her badly, man. Beat her in her head,” a neighbor told the outlet. “The police are looking for him, but they still haven’t received any breakthroughs.”
“There is a murderer on the run, and he is clearly in an area with a lot of tourists. He is dangerous. Women need to be careful because you don’t know what he is capable of,” Wynter said.
Samnath’s family confirmed her death in a GoFundMe on May 4.
“Melissa was a strong, loving, and unforgettable woman whose warmth touched everyone around her,” the family 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.”
The family was using the funds to pay for funeral expenses, with the remaining cash going towards supporting organizations that assist victims of domestic violence in Samnath’s name.
