British couple who died from ‘poisoned’ Limoncello noticed ‘black spots’ in remaining hours
British woman Greta Marie Otteson and her fiancé Arno Els Quinton saw ‘black spots’ before they died after drinking allegedly poisoned limoncello, their friend has said
The friend of a British woman and her fiancé who died from drinking “poisoned” limoncello said they saw “black spots” in their final hours. Greta Marie Otteson, 33, and Arno Els Quinton, 36 were found dead on Boxing Day by hotel staff at the Ho An Silverbell Villa in Vietnam. They had only become engaged just three weeks before.
“Homemade” limoncello bought from a local restaurant on Christmas Eve caused the deaths, investigators said. Two bottles of limoncello were delivered to the hotel reception from a different restaurant, according to police.
The couple were visited by friend Todd Ford on Christmas Day at around 10pm. Only a day after the couple had drunk the lemon liqueur, Todd said Ottenson thought she had the “worst hangover ever” and was in bed drinking coconut juice after being sick. She had complained of seeing “black spots”.
He told The Times he did not see Quinton, but was told he had also complained of feeling unwell and had most likely fallen asleep in the room where he kept his computer.
“I went up and I knocked. I called his name. I didn’t see any lights on in the room,” he said. “I got Greta water and went to check on her. I said: ‘Do you want me to break the door down?’ She was like, ‘He probably fell asleep playing his video games and his hangover’s probably even worse than mine.’
“She wasn’t concerned. But I believe in hindsight that he probably had already [died] at that stage because he consumed a lot more than her.”
Todd later said the “hangover was subsiding” for Ottenson but she was still having some trouble with he vision and this was “worrying her”.
While alongside her rescue dog Bambi and in her pyjamas in bed, she turned down a suggestion to go to hospital and said she could “sleep it off”.
Suspect bartender Le Tan Gia, 46, was arrested on Friday after he was accused of using 70% medical alcohol – intended only for disinfection – to prepare two bottles of the lemon liquor Limoncello. He is said to have mixed the alcohol with filtered water, lemon peels, and white sugar before serving it to the tourists.
Home-brewed alcohol can often be found to contain Methanol, a toxic chemical that can cause blindness, brain damage and death.
Le Tan Gia has been charged with violating food safety regulations. A police spokesman said: “The Criminal Investigation Police Department of Quang Nam Province arrested the suspect on charges of violating food safety regulations.
“The prosecution of the defendant will continue, based on the evidence he served the victims methanol drinks that caused their deaths. Currently, the case is being investigated and handled by the police force in accordance with the law.”
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