A biker was struck by a hit-and-run driver in a crash so severe that she was decapitated.
Investigators believe Haleymarie Marrero Meléndez had a handbag slung over her shoulder while riding her motorcycle.
It is thought the strap became snagged as the 42-year-old was thrown from the bike, resulting in fatal injuries.
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The horror unfolded on PR-828 in Toa Alta, Puerto Rico, at 10:37pm on 31 May.
The driver fled the scene, but an abandoned vehicle matching witness descriptions was later seized the same night.
The 1954 Buick sedan was missing part of one headlight – a piece previously found at the crash scene – and had traces of blood on it.
Its owner was interviewed by prosecutors in Bayamón the following day (1 Jun) and is expected to be summoned again.
Investigators are working to determine who was driving at the time of the crash and whether the driver may have been under the influence of alcohol.
Haleymarie lived in Naranjito with her husband, Rafael, son Eriam, and daughter Mia Sophia.
She is also survived by her parents, her four siblings, and her grandmother, as reported by Need To Know.
Her younger sister Judith described her as “one of the most extraordinary people I have ever known”.
Judith paid tribute online, saying: “She was responsibility, strength, wisdom and love all rolled into one person.
“She was capable of being a thousand things at once and still always found time for her family.
“An entrepreneur, a fighter, a multitasker, strong… but above all, deeply kind-hearted.
“She loved her family with an intensity that only a woman with a mother’s soul can possess.
“She looked after us, corrected us, pushed us to be better and kept us in line with that strong character I always admired and now miss more than ever.”
Her brother Jonathan described Haleymarie as “the pillar of the family”.
He told local media: “She was the one who supported us at all times, the one who always organised activities and kept the family together.”
Investigators in Bayamón are reviewing CCTV footage from the area to establish exactly how the crash happened.
Leaving the scene of a fatal collision can carry a prison sentence of up to 15 years.
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