Jamie Cail former US swimming champion hailing from New Hampshire found dead in St John, U.S Virgin islands in mysterious circumstances as a criminal investigation is now launched.
Foul play? A former swimming champion from New Hampshire was found dead in the US Virgin Islands, where she lived with her boyfriend, with police now launched a criminal investigation.
Jamie Cail, 42, was found unresponsive early Feb. 21 in St John, WMUR reported, citing USVI police.
Her boyfriend, who has not been identified, left a bar about midnight to check on her at their home, where he found her on the floor.
He and a friend carried Cail to a vehicle and drove her to the Myrah Keating-Smith Community Health Center.
‘Once at the clinic, CPR was rendered and 911 was notified, however, the female succumbed to her ailment,’ police said in a statement cited by Boston.com.
Succumbed to her ailment?
The police said the Criminal Investigation Bureau is investigating Cail’s death after authorities were notified of a ‘dead on arrival’ about 2:40 a.m.
It remained unclear what aspect of Cali’s ‘sudden death’ opening the specter of a criminal investigation.
Cail, a native of Claremont, New Hampshire, was a star swimmer who competed across the US in her youth, according to her family. She reportedly worked at a coffee shop in St. John and had been a fixture of the Caribbean island community for over two decades.
‘She was just a very beautiful person,’ a friend told WMUR. ‘She had a huge heart. She was really loving and kind and well-loved and popular on the island and everybody knows her.’
In 1997, she competed for the US at the Pan Pacific Championships and won a gold medal in a relay race, according to Swim Swam.
Cali also won a silver medal at the 1998-1999 World Aquatics Swimming World Cup in Brazil.
The former swimmer attended the college prep Bolles School — which is known for its swimming program — in Jacksonville, Florida, and several of her school records there still stand, according to Swim Swam.
Very sad to hear that my hs friend and teammate, Jamie Cail (in the middle with the Bolles suit), has passed away. Jamie had an unmatched work ethic. She left everything in each practice and became a world class distance swimmer through grit. Rest in peace to a real one 😞 pic.twitter.com/IZ1lE4U2IS
— Jooyoung Lee🥋 (@theyoungjoo) February 22, 2023
How does a former champion swimmer at peak fitness die so young?
Cail still holds the record for the the 200 yard fly, 400 yard IM, 200 meter IM, and 400 meter IM in the 15-16 age group.
She won several high school state championships in Huntington Beach, California, where she moved to train with the Golden West Swim Club.
In 1998, Cail reportedly signed a letter of intent to swim at the University of Southern California and was a member of the University of Maine’s swim team during the 2000-2001 season.
Jooyoung Lee wrote on Twitter that he was teammates with Cail in high school.
‘Jamie had an unmatched work ethic. She left everything in each practice and became a world class distance swimmer through grit. Rest in peace to a real one,’ Lee wrote.
