The fiancé of a British social media manager told his friend how “happy and excited” he was in a voicemail just hours before the couple were mysteriously found dead in a Vietnamese villa on Boxing Day.
Greta Marie Otteson, 33, and her fiancé Arno Els Quinton, 36, allegedly drank wine at the Hoi An Silverbell villa in Hoi An city, central Quang Nam province.
They were later discovered dead in separate rooms by shocked resort staff who arrived to clean the property on December 26.
Greta, believed to be from Wales, is said to have been lying lifeless in her bed in room 101, before officers burst into Arno’s locked room and also found him dead.
A spokesman for Quang Nam provincial police said: ‘There were no signs of looting at the scene. The victims’ belongings and phones were left intact.’
Police also confirmed there were no signs of physical trauma.
It has now been revealed that Arno had sent a voicemail to a close friend just hours before his tragic death.
Speaking to The Times, Arno’s friend, who preferred not to be named, said he “seemed super happy and excited about Christmas.”
British Greta Marie Otteson, 33, was found dead in a holiday villa in Vietnam on Boxing Day. Her fiancé was also found dead in a separate room.
The couple had reportedly gotten engaged in December before being found dead.
The couple was found dead in separate rooms by shocked resort staff who arrived to clean the property.
‘I think their plans were just to be together and experience (Christmas) in a new country. “It’s very tragic.”
Authorities at the scene said they collected empty bottles in the room and will analyze them for further analysis.
A Foreign Office spokesperson said: “We are supporting the family of a British woman who died in Vietnam and are in contact with local authorities.”
Friends of the couple have flooded social media with heartfelt tributes, with one stating: “Greta loved Arno unconditionally and was his base, giving him the freedom to do what he needed without a shaky foundation.”
He went on to say: ‘There are two distinct things that are so prominent in my thoughts and that is their laughter and how much love they were constantly throwing at each other, no matter who was around.
“They were celebrated there and I know they will continue to do so, wherever they are.”
Arnold’s friend Dayle Visser wrote online: ‘Rest in peace brother. Thank you for always being the fierce friend that you were. You saved me many times.
‘You were real and lived life harder than most people could dream of. I love you and will always miss you.’
Greta is said to have been lying lifeless in her bed in Room 101, before officers burst into Arno’s locked room and also found him dead.
A travel lover, Greta had previously lived in Dubai and backpacked through different countries in Asia before settling more recently in Vietnam.
A woman on X/Twitter, claiming to be a spokesperson for the family, also took to the platform to “confirm that Greta Otteson and Arno Els died in Vietnam on December 26.”
Known as Pam, she urged people to “respect the families’ pain and privacy,” stating that “Greta and Arno’s families have not yet claimed their bodies.”
According to a Vietnam News According to the report, both individuals had registered for long-term temporary residence in the resort village since July 4 this year and were understood to have become engaged in December.
After the tragic incident, and in the midst of the investigations, the police cordoned off the rooms while they began investigations into the mysterious deaths.
Quang Nam Provincial Police conducted an investigation at the scene and autopsies were also ordered.
Travel-loving Greta had previously lived in Dubai, where she met Arno. The couple had been together for at least three years.
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.
The devastating news comes just days after the couple surprised their families with a romantic video posted on YouTube of their engagement.
Both individuals had registered for long-term temporary residence in the tourist village since July 4 this year and were understood to have become engaged in December.
Authorities said they are now investigating the cause of the couple’s death.
The devastating news comes just days after the couple surprised their families with a romantic video posted on YouTube about their engagement.
It contained a montage of clips showing the couple holding hands and walking through Hoi An, Vietnam, with Greta wearing a white dress.
‘This session was filled with a lot of 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 clip, Arno reveals that the couple met in the Middle East before moving to Vietnam in a life change he described as “fun,” “crazy” and “insane.”
It comes after a British tourist died in Thailand after suffering a severe reaction to magic mushrooms.
The 25-year-old was enjoying a Christmas holiday with his girlfriend when he allegedly bought the hallucinogenic drug at a shop in Chiang Mai.
He reportedly had a horrible instant reaction to the mushrooms and died shortly after.