The sudden death of Jamie Cail, a retired US swimming champion, is under investigation in the US Virgin Islands.
The 42-year-old former athlete was pronounced dead on Feb. 21 after her boyfriend found her unresponsive inside their St. John home.
Here is what we know about Cail and the mystery surrounding her unexpected death.
Who was Jamie Cail?
Cail was originally from Claremont, New Hampshire and was a swimming prodigy in her youth.
She began making national waves while in high school in the 1990s, when she was a member of the team that won the gold medal in the 800 free relay at the 1997 Pan Pacific Championships — where she swam the third leg, according to the news website Swim Swam.
During the 1998-99 Swimming World Cup in Brazil, Cail won a silver medal in the 800 free as a member of the US Swimming National B Team.
She attended the college prep Bolles School in Jacksonville, Florida, where she swam for the swimming powerhouse and remains the team record holder in the 200 yard fly, 400 yard individual medley, 200-meter IM and 400-meter IM in the 15-16 age group, according to Swim Swam.
During the 1996-97 season, Cail was listed on 10 Top 16 lists published by United States Swimming while at Bolles.
She later moved to Huntington Beach, California, where she trained with the Golden West Swim Club and won multiple high school state championships in the 200-meter IM and 500-meter free.
Cail then enrolled at the University of Maine, where she competed as part of its swim team in the 2000-2001 academic year, according to ABC News.
She also swam for the University of Southern California, where she was a national finalist in the 400-, 800- and 1500-meter free and 400-meter IM as a member of the Trojans.
Cail lived in St John with her boyfriend, who has not been identified, and worked at a local coffee shop, WMUR reported.
“She was just she was she was a very beautiful person,” a friend of Cail’s told the outlet.
“She had a huge heart. She was really loving and kind and well-loved and popular on the island and everybody knows her.”
How did Jamie Cail die?
Cail was discovered unresponsive by her boyfriend in the early hours of Feb. 21, after he left a local bar to check on her at their home.
When he arrived at home, he saw her on the floor, police said in a statement.
She was rushed to Myrah Keating-Smith Community Health Center where doctors administered CPR, but were unable to save her.
Local authorities provided only a vague statement that Cail “succumbed to her ailment.”
Her cause of death has not been revealed and police have launched a criminal investigation into her mysterious death.
“This case is presently under investigation by the Criminal Investigation Bureau,” USVI police said in a statement.
Police asked anyone with information about the case to contact the Criminal Investigation Bureau, Detective J. Carty at (340) 693-8880, ext. 5207, or Detective Rhymer at (340) 774-2211 ext. 5572 or Crime Stoppers V.I. at 1 (800) 222-TIPS.
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