Just days before her 21st birthday, a “radiant” South African woman working aboard a luxury superyacht was found dead inside the vessel’s engine room, according to police in the Bahamas.
Paige Bell — a 20-year-old from Johannesburg — worked on the nearly 150-foot “Far From It” superyacht, which charters for approximately $140,000 per week, according to the New York Post.
‘We will leave no stone unturned until the guilty is brought to justice.’
The luxury vessel was moored off Harbour Island in the Bahamas in early July.
The Royal Bahamas Police Force said in a statement, “Police on the Island of Eleuthera are investigating a homicide and a suspected suicide attempt that occurred July 3 on a vessel docked in Harbour Island that left a female of South African nationality dead.”
Police said they were alerted to the incident just after 1 p.m. and dispatched officers to the yacht.
“Once on board the vessel, officers discovered a female unresponsive with visible signs of injuries and a male suffering from severe injuries to his arms,” police stated.
Bell was discovered in the ship’s engine room and pronounced dead there.
Our News Bahamas reported that Bell was fatally stabbed.
Also in the engine room, police encountered a 39-year-old male suspect of Mexican nationality.
Police later identified the suspect as Brigido Muñoz, who also worked on the superyacht as an engineer, the Daily Mail reported.
Muñoz was arrested and transported to a medical clinic, where he was treated for his wounds, which are suspected to be from a suicide attempt.
The Royal Bahamas Police Force stated that Muñoz was charged with murder on July 9.
“The court heard that his alleged victim was found with slash wounds to her neck and partially undressed, suggesting she may have been sexually assaulted,” the Daily Mail reported. “She also had defensive injuries to her arms, the court heard, suggesting she tried to fend off her alleged attacker.”
Muñoz was denied bail and is scheduled to return to court on Nov. 20, according to Our News Bahamas.
The family of Paige Bell is heartbroken over her suspected murder.
“It is with broken hearts that we share the devastating news that our beautiful Paigey’s life was brutally taken from us last night,” the family wrote on social media on July 4, according to People magazine. “As a family, we are doing our best to process this unimaginable loss. … We will leave no stone unturned until the guilty is brought to justice.”
“This evening, Mom and Dad … are flying to the Bahamas to begin the painful process of not only bringing their baby girl home, but also seeking justice for the monster that took her life,” her sister Chelsey wrote on Facebook, according to Fox News.
Bell’s colleagues and friends launched a GoFundMe campaign for her family; just over $56,000 has been raised as of Monday afternoon.
“Paige was more than a teammate, she was family,” the GoFundMe listing said. “Her radiant spirit, infectious laughter, and boundless compassion made an unforgettable impact on everyone lucky enough to know her. Whether it was long days at sea or quiet moments under the stars, she brought light and warmth wherever she went.”
The crowdfunding campaign noted that Bell was going to celebrate her 21st birthday just days before she was found dead.
In Bell’s honor, Paige’s mother has asked supporters to eat red velvet cake — her daughter’s favorite — on her birthday, which is July 14.
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