Greta Marie Otteson, 33, who enjoyed travelling had been living in Vietnam with Els Arno Quinton and the pair had recently got engaged before they were found dead on Boxing Day
A British woman and her South African fiance have been found dead at a holiday villa in Vietnam leaving detectives stumped over the cause.
Greta Marie Otteson, 33, who enjoyed travelling, was with 36-year-old Els Arno Quinton when the tragedy happened during Christmas. They are understood to have been drinking wine at the Hoi An Silverbell villa in Hoi An Town in central Quang Nam province.
But they were then discovered dead in separate rooms by shocked resort staff who arrived to clean the property on December 26. Greta, who is believed to be from Wales, was said to have been lying in her bed lifeless in room 101. Officers then barged into Arno’s locked room and also found him dead.
A Quang Nam Provincial Police spokesman said: “There were no signs of ransacking at the scene. The victims’ belongings and phones were untouched.” Police said there were also no signs of scratches or physical trauma inflicted on the bodies. They collected several empty liquor bottles in the room for further analysis.
Many people who knew the couple have paid tribute, with one saying: “Greta loved Arno unconditionally and was his bedrock, giving him the freedom to do what he needed to without a faltering foundation.”
They added: “There are two distinct things that are so prominent in my thoughts and that is her laugh and how much love they constantly [threw] at each other, regardless of who was around. They celebrated each other there and I know they will continue doing that, wherever they are.”
Arnold’s friend Dayle Visser wrote online: “Rest in peace my brother. Thank you for always being the fierce friend you were. You saved me many a time. You were real and lived life harder than most people could ever dream of. I love you and I will always miss you.”
Another X user wrote: “Statement from Greta and Arno’s family: It is with a heavy heart that we confirm that Greta Otteson and Arno Els have passed away in Vietnam on the 26th of December. Please respect the families privacy as they have not yet completed all investigations at this time.”
Local media reported that Greta and Arno had been staying together in the villa since July 4. The pair are understood to have got engaged during December. Travel lover Greta had previously lived in Dubai and backpacked around different countries in Asia before settling more recently in Vietnam.
She was a digital strategist who ran a social media and content marketing agency called Not Sorry Socials. Arno was a barista, musician, and streamer. Officials said they were investigating the cause of the couple’s death.
Their deaths comes just days after they posted a video on YouTube to announce their engagement. It showed them walking in Hoi An, Vietnam, with Greta in a white dress and the two holding hands. “This shoot was charged with so much emotion, reminding us how powerful the union of two souls can be. We will miss you great souls,’ Red Eye Studios, the video company captioned the clip.
In the video, Arno told how the pair met in the Middle East before moving to Vietnam which had been “fun” and “crazy”. A Foreign Office spokesperson told The Mirror: “We are supporting the family of a British woman who has died in Vietnam and are in contact with the local authorities.”