A celebrated transgender fashion designer has been found dead in her hotel room.
María del Mar Perdomo’s may have been poisoned and robbed, it is feared.
It may have then triggered a sudden heart attack.
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Her lifeless body was found last Wednesday (10 Sept) while visiting the coastal resort town of Santa Marta, in Colombia.
She was due to take part in the Fiestas Trans del Mar festival, which coincided with the city’s 500th anniversary.
Authorities are investigating the circumstances surrounding her death.
There are suspicions of scopolamine poisoning and the possibility of a robbery, as reported by Need To Know.
Police emphasised that the exact cause of death will only be confirmed after an autopsy.
A spokesperson said they are also reviewing the hotel’s security cameras to trace the victim’s final movements and determine whether a third party was involved.
Santa Marta mayor Carlos Pinedo Cuello said: “We have asked the authorities to move quickly in clarifying this case, the causes of which are still under investigation.”
News of María’s death has shocked her hometown of Neiva in western Colombia.
It spread rapidly on social media, with colleagues, friends, and family paying tribute.
Stylist Lina Gutiérrez wrote on Facebook: “I will always carry you in my heart, thank you for teaching me that fashion is about resilience and self-love.”
LGBTQ+ activist Angie Lucía Gualy added: “We are dismayed by the untimely passing of our friend María del Mar, who was a victim of scopolamine poisoning in the city of Santa Marta and died in the ICU of a clinic there.”
A spokesperson for the Doctores Juguetes Foundation said: “We are saddened to learn that María del Mar, our beloved designer, has left this earthly world.
“Her passion and love for art were reflected in each of the beautiful creations she designed for the contestants at our festivals.
“María del Mar was a true artist who illuminated every stage with her talent and dedication.
“Her work will be forever remembered at our foundation, and her legacy will continue to inspire future generations of designers and artists.”
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