Three American friends were found dead in an Airbnb they rented in Mexico to celebrate the Dia de Los Muertos, or Day of the Dead.
According to PEOPLE Magazine, Kandace Florence, 28, was staying at an Airbnb with Jordan Marshall, 28, and Courtez Hall, Marshall’s friend.
“We can confirm the death of three U.S. citizens in Mexico. We are closely monitoring local authorities’ investigation into the cause of death. We stand ready to provide all appropriate consular assistance,” a State Department spokesperson said in a statement to PEOPLE. “Out of respect for the privacy of the families, we have nothing further to add at this time.”
According to Wavy News Station, Kandace was on the phone with her boyfriend on Oct. 30 when she started feeling unwell, and the call dropped.
When Kandace’s boyfriend could not reach her, he contacted Airbnb and asked if they could check on the trio. Authorities arrived and discovered all three dead.
Since then, Kandace and Jordan’s families have spoken out to learn more about what transpired.
“I saw my brother’s name, and I read it, and my heart sank, and the hardest thing was to break the news to my mom,” said Jordan’s sister, Jasmine.
“The Mexican police were not very forthcoming with information. Also, the language barrier was incredibly difficult as well.” Jordan’s mother, Jennifer Marshall, told WTKR.
Jordan and Kandace’s bodies are set to arrive in their home state, Virginia.
Kandace’s family plans to hold a candlelight vigil on Thursday, Nov. 10, on what would’ve been her 29th birthday. Her mother, Freida Florence, told WTKR that at this point, “The biggest question was ‘Where do we start?” adding that her daughter was “a dreamer, dreamer meaning she wanted to make a difference in the lives of other people.”
According to reports, Kandace and Jordan both graduated from Kellam High School in 2011 and remained friends. Courtez, 33, was a social studies teacher at KIPP Memorial School in New Orleans. His mother, Ceola Hall, told the outlet, “It’s been so hard.”
“We tried calling back over there for the funeral homes. Because of the language barrier and stuff, you cannot get anything through or really understand,” she said. “I would hate to see any parents go through what I went through with my son. I didn’t expect to hear this about my son. No one expects that.”
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