U.S. tourist held in Zanzibar after his fiancee dies following arguments – National

Joseph Isaac McCann, 45, was questioned by police on Monday, four days after his partner, Ashly Robinson, 31, better known as influencer Ashlee Jenae, died.

The deputy director of investigations in Zanzibar, Zuberi Chembera, refused to comment on the case on Thursday, according to The Associated Press, saying that the investigation was ongoing. Investigators did say they’re holding McCann’s passport until Robinson’s autopsy results are complete, reports CBS News.

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Police said witness accounts indicate the couple arrived at the Zuri Hotel in Zanzibar on April 4 and had been arguing frequently until the night of April 8, when hotel management separated them and asked McCann to move to a separate villa about a 10-minute walk away.

A few hours later, a hotel worker found Robinson unresponsive in a closet with a belt around her neck, police said. She was taken to a hospital, where she died the following day.

Zanzibar’s police told the BBC that Robinson had attempted to take her own life.

The hotel, Zuri Zanzibar, told the BBC that it was deeply saddened by the “tragic incident involving one of our guests.”

The hotel said it was co-operating with authorities and the U.S. embassy but did not comment further, citing privacy concerns.

McCann has not released a public statement at the time of this writing and no arrests have been made. Zanzibar police previously told local media that investigators had found “no immediate sign of criminality” and McCann had not been detained, saying circumstances outlined by police “did not justify legal action.”

Robinson shared multiple social media posts during her trip, including her last post on April 5, which showed her feeding a giraffe while ringing in her 31st birthday.

“Chapter 31 and I’m exactly where i need to be,” she wrote in the caption.

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Robinson’s family demands answers

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In a statement posted to Instagram, Robinson’s family said their daughter “was on what should have been one of the happiest trips of her life.”

“She and her fiancé, Joe McCann, were staying in a luxury villa at the Zuri Zanzibar, continuing what we believed was her dream trip. But just days later, that dream turned into our family’s worst nightmare. Ashly was found unconscious in her villa and was rushed to a local hospital, where her death was confirmed hours later,” the family wrote.

“The suddenness, the unanswered questions, and the distance from home made this tragedy even more overwhelming for our family,” they continued. “At this time, there is an active investigation into the circumstances surrounding Ashly’s suspicious passing. Although we have many questions, we are placing our trust in the officials in Zanzibar and are working closely with them as we seek clarity and answers.”

The family also asked that “any information not directly provided by our family be treated as unverified and not considered factual at this time.”

Robinson’s parents spoke to ABC News from Delaware and said they have not received clear information from officials in Tanzania or from McCann about what happened to their daughter.

“My daughter Ashly, she’s no longer here with us, and we’re trying to find out why,” said her mother, Yolanda Denise Endres.

“Uncertainty. Mystery. Anger. Sadness. It’s like a part of me has been taken,” said her father, Harry Robinson.

According to her family, Robinson was celebrating her birthday with her boyfriend of one year, who had proposed two days prior.

“She was starting the next chapter of her life. She called us to FaceTime us to share with us her travel and her vacation,” Endres said.

Her mother said that Robinson called them on April 8 to say she and McCann had argued and had been moved to separate rooms.

The next day, Endres said she received a call from McCann who told her “that Ashly did something to herself and she was being taken to the hospital.”

“He told me she was stable. I said what happened, and he told me it had been 11 hours prior,” she added.

Hours after speaking with McCann, Endres said that the hotel where the couple was staying had notified them that Robinson had died.

“Joe went back to the room with security, and that’s how they found her,” Endres said.

Robinson’s mother said her daughter has “never done anything that would ever lead me to believe she would do something to harm herself like that.”

The family said they have contacted multiple people, including the police, the consulate and the embassy, but have not received additional information beyond that the death remains under investigation.

Robinson’s family has requested surveillance footage from the resort.

Robinson’s sister, Alyssa Endres, told NBC News that “none of this makes sense.”

“That’s why we’re just so lost. And that’s why we just want answers,” she added.

Robinson’s family created a GoFundMe to try to “bring Ashly home with dignity and seek answers.”

“This fund is in response to those asking how to help and will support travel costs, arrangements, and unexpected expenses during this time,” Robinson’s parents wrote in the description.

As of Thursday afternoon, the GoFundMe page had raised more than US$53,000 of its $50,000 goal.

The Human Rights Association, a South Africa-based organization, is calling on the Tanzanian government to launch an independent investigation into the circumstances of Robinson’s death.

In a statement, the group said that Robinson’s family “deserves answers, and they deserve them through a process that is independent, transparent, and free from any appearance of inadequacy.”

“Where the cause of death is disputed by the family of the deceased, the duty to investigate thoroughly is not optional,” said Saad Kassis-Mohamed, chairman of the Human Rights Association.

The organization is calling for the release of full autopsy and toxicology findings, as well as urging the United States to take an active role.

“The death of an American citizen abroad under disputed circumstances warrants consular engagement at the highest level, and the family should not be required to navigate the complexities of a foreign legal system without the full support of their government,” the organization said.

— With files from The Associated Press