Alexis Sharkey-Robinault's death has been shocking and suspicious in Houston, Tx. Her family released a statement claiming that it was a murder, and not an accident. The influencer was only 26, and her husband Thomas James Sharkey III denies being involved. However, her family suspects foul play. The police have not confirmed or denied the cause of death or stated if it was a homicide.
Sharkey had previously made her mark on Instagram, becoming a successful influencer. The skincare company Monat hired her as a mentor, and she was known for constantly updating. Her family notified the police that she went missing over the holiday, following a fight with her mother. According to Click2Houston, Sharkey didn't take her car with her after the fight, and her friends filed a police report. Generally, the police investigate when an adult has gone missing for 24 hours or more but these were unusual circumstances. She hadn't updated her social media feeds in 12 hours, which was unusual for the influencer. While Tom Sharkey is being investigated for the tragedy, he is cooperating with the police and defending himself against online attacks alleging that he had something to do with her death. They were married in December 2019, and their anniversary was just around the corner.
According to KHOU, a supervisor for the City of Houston Solid Waste named John Richardson discovered her body on Saturday, November 30, in a Houston park. An employee had asked him for help because he thought he had found either a body or a mannequin. He was scared about the possible worst-case scenario, requesting his supervisor to confirm and take action if necessary. Richardson recognized that the "mannequin" was an actual human body on examining feet sticking out from a bush and called 911 as soon as he realized. He didn't know the dead woman was Sharkey.
Now, her family is grieving, with her mother Stacey Robinault saying that this was no accident. She also doesn't understand who would hurt her daughter, since no one seemed to hold a grudge against her or have a motive. Investigators are considering that foul play happened, given the circumstances. Her body showed no signs of trauma, which provided more questions than answers about the circumstances leading to their death. The cause of death has not yet been determined but the investigation is ongoing. Police have been updating the case on a regular basis.
The death seems senseless, and it occurred over what was supposed to be a joyous holiday weekend. If someone did kill her, there seems to be no motive even with her income level. She and her husband had been married for less than a year, and there are conflicting reports about the state of their relationship. However, there is no current evidence that he had anything to do with her disappearance. The question remains why Sharkey didn't take her car with her after the fight if she had driven it to her mother's house.
In the meantime, the Robinault family is mourning and fans want answers. Sharkey's friends have raised $22,000 on GoFundMe for funeral costs and for her family to travel to the funeral, but readers are encouraged to donate to other fundraisers linked to the Robinaults or friends.
Sources: Click2Houston, KHOU