60-year old woman blogger stabbed to death in Mexico

Canadian René Wathelet was a successful financial planner who had decided to make the quiet little Mexican island called Isla Mujeres, which lies 10 kilometers off the coast of Cancun, as part of her change in careers. The mother of of three grown children had been intent on building a a new career around social media consulting business and had both a professional blog as well as her personal one – En direct des Îles.

This past Thursday though this dream came crashing down when neighbors reported hearing screams coming from René’s home. Shortly afterwards Mexican police found her dead from a reported 30 stab wounds to her chest and neck.

Police also said that they had arrested a 24-year-old Mexican by the name of Joaquin Palacios Garza as he was trying to flee the scene of the murder.

“She was full of life, she had these eyes that sparkled all the time, she’s the kind of person you want at your party,” said Michelle Sullivan, a friend of Wathelet’s in Montreal.

“It’s particularly hard for us to comprehend what’s happened because she was full of life.”

Wathelet kept residences in both Montreal and Isla Mujeres for years before moving to the island permanently a few months ago, Sullivan said.

In her final blog entry, dated the day she died, Wathelet wrote about her morning walk along the beach and looking north across the waves toward Montreal.

Source: The Star – Blogger stabbed to death in Mexico

image: Lanry Parra, NOVEDADES DE QUINTANA ROO/AP FILE PHOTO