Texas Mom Was Found Hanging from a Dock. Police Believe It Was a Staged Suicide and Suspect Foul Play

Athena Sobhan

12 June 2024 at 5:57 pm·3-min read

Giselle Tapia-Salazar, a 30-year-old mother of four children, was found dead and hanging from a dock on May 31

<p>Gofundme</p> Giselle Salazar — Gofundme
Giselle Salazar

Giselle Tapia-Salazar, a mother of four, was found dead, hanging from a dock on May 31 in League City, Texas. Now, the 30-year-old's death is being investigated as suspected foul play, according to multiple reports.

As of June 11, KHOU, KTRK and The Daily News of Galveston County report that police are investigating Tapia-Salazar's death as a possible homicide and identified two persons of interest. Police told the outlets they believe the victim was killed before being placed in that position, and The Daily News, citing police, reported the scene was staged to look like a suicide.

On May 31, The League City Police Department confirmed in a news release posted to Facebook that they were notified about a “woman [who] appeared to have been lifeless as she hung by a rope from the dock” in the afternoon.

Tapia-Salazar was found near her boyfriend's boat, where she was living at the time of her death. The boyfriend, James Hart, told KHOU, "This is the worst thing that has ever happened to me."

Hart added, "It feels like a nightmare you can't wake up from. I didn't have anything to do with it and I never would have. I loved Giselle more than anything in the world. We were together 24/7 [and] I want justice for Giselle and for myself."

League City Police said in the agency's release that when Hart was notified of Tapia-Salazar's death, he "became very distraught and would not come out of his boat.”

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Christian Allen, Tapia-Salazar and Hart’s neighbor at the marina, told KHOU that he found Tapia-Salazar's body “partially submerged in the water.” with one of her arms in an awkward position.

“Because of the position of her arm, we believe she probably passed away somewhere else,” League City Police Lieutenant Eric Cox told KHOU. ”Rigor Mortis set in and then when she was moved, her arms stayed in that position.”

Said Allen, "At first, I thought it was a mannequin and then we realized ... we recognized her."

Allen added, "I didn't buy the whole suicide thing. I want them to catch them because my kids are here and I don't want to live near a murderer."

Authorities are still awaiting an official cause of death. The victim's brother, Nathan Paz started a GoFundMe to help pay for her funeral expenses and to support her four children.

"Giselle was the most charismatic person you could ever meet, sharing a smile and making a friend of everyone she came across" Paz wrote on the GoFundMe page. "Giselle always looked for the best in people, even when they didn't deserve her kindness."

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