Police in Miami Beach have discovered the bodies of two men at the Villa Casa Casuarina Hotel, the former home of designer Gianni Versace, who was shot and killed almost exactly 24 years ago.
A housekeeper reported the grim discovery in a room at the hotel on Wednesday afternoon, prompting a full investigation by police around 1:20 p.m., CNN reports.
Investigators have deemed the case to be a double suicide. An autopsy is pending to determine the exact causes of death.
“At this time, the scene is contained to the hotel room and detectives have launched a death investigation,” police said.
Officials have not identified the victims.
Thursday marks the 24th anniversary of Versace’s assassination.
Serial killer Andrew Cunanan shot Versace on the steps of the mansion on July 15, 1997, then died by suicide on a houseboat eight days later. He was also suspected of killing four other men.
The Casa Casuarina was built in 1930 and eventually purchased by Versace in 1992. The designer spent tens of millions of dollars to upgrade the already-opulent mansion to its current state, and many of the rooms have remained intact in the wake of his death.
The Versace family sold the property in 2000 and it changed hands several times before becoming a boutique hotel in 2015.
—
If you or someone you know is in crisis and needs help, resources are available. In case of an emergency, please call 911 for immediate help.
The Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention, Depression Hurts and Kids Help Phone 1-800-668-6868 all offer ways of getting help if you, or someone you know, may be suffering from mental health issues.
Please reach out for help if you or someone you know is in crisis: contact the Canadian Suicide Support line at 1-833-456-4566 or find a call centre near you.
— With files from the Associated Press
Comments