New Jersey Man, 55, Becomes The Eight Tourist To Die In Mysterious Circumstances In The Dominican Republic

It was meant to be a holiday of a lifetime. A trip to the paradise island of the Dominican Republic.

But an eighth American tourist has died in mysterious circumstances while vacationing in the Caribbean region. 

The State Department confirmed that Joseph Allen, 55, of Avenel, New Jersey, was found dead in his hotel room. 

Allen died at the Terra Linda hotel in Sosua. 

Three American tourists have died at the Grand Bahia Príncipe La Romana, two at the Hard Rock in Punta Cana, one at Excellence Resorts in Punta Cana and one at the Luxury Bahia Principe Bouganville.

The mysterious deaths has prompted the FBI to investigate. An avenue being looked at is whether the dead vacationers had drunk tainted liquor.

Allen’s sister, Jamie Reed, confirmed to ABC that he died on the morning of June 13. He had gone to the Dominican Republic trip to celebrate a friend’s birthday.   

Reed said that friends who were on holiday with her brother said he complained of feeling hot in the pool so went to take a shower. 

Later that evening, Allen complained that he still wasn’t feeling right. He didn’t show up for breakfast and didn’t answer his door.

It wasn’t until hotel staff performed a wellness check that they found him dead on the floor of his room. 

Allen was reportedly in good health and would visit the Dominican Republic multiple times a year. 

Reed said: ‘The families need answers. We deserve answers… My brother was my best friend. I spoke to him every day. This is killing me.’ 

‘I just don’t want them to suppress anything, especially with them embalming the body,’ Reed said. 

We want answers. We’ve reached out to everybody, including Senator (Robert) Menendez to try to get some help from anyone.’ 

Allen’s family released a statement Monday saying they believe he could be “the victim of a wrongful death.”

The number of American tourists who have fallen violently ill while vacationing in the sun soaked wonderland is now eight. 

A group of forty graduates from Deer Creek High School, Oklahoma, went to the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Punta Cana. It’s the place where at least two Americans have died. At least five members of the graduates got sick after flying out there on June 8.