Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Dannie Lea: Mystery as British personal trainer found dead on lawn outside Bahamas house

'The security guard noticed the body first and pointed out there was a lifeless body just laying in the front yard' 

Henry Austin
Tuesday 28 May 2019 09:11 EDT
Dannie Lea was found murdered in the Bahamas.
Dannie Lea was found murdered in the Bahamas. (Rex Features)

A British personal trainer has died in mysterious circumstances on the grounds of a house in the Bahamas.

Dannie Lea’s body was found on the lawn of the property in the archipelago’s capital Nassau on 19 May.

The 29-year-old father of one from Stoke on Trent, was barefoot, wearing only a pair of blue pants, The Tribune newspaper reported.

The homeowners were away at the time and had sent a relative to investigate after a security guard alerted them to the fact that a door of the property was ajar.

“We went inside, took a look through the house and noticed it looked like there was a break-in like someone came in through kitchen window,” the relative, speaking on condition of anonymity, told The Tribune. "However it didn’t look like anything was stolen, the house appeared fine.”

They added: “Then as I was exiting the house out the front door to call the police the security guard noticed the body first and pointed out there was a lifeless body just laying in the front yard.”

A Royal Bahamas Police Force spokesperson told the StokeonTrentLive that an autopsy would be performed “to determine the exact cause of his death”.

No arrests have been made.

A number of people paid tribute to Mr Lea on social media.

“Absolutely gutted for your family,” Chantelle Liston wrote.

Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events

Another, Nicola Ann Tyler, added: “You will be missed by many.”

A third, Danielle Boulton, said: “So sad, gutted. Dannie thoughts with family.”

Staffordshire Police said the force had not been contacted by the Bahamian authorities, but would provide support to the family if required.

A Foreign Office spokesperson said: "Our staff are supporting the family of a British man following his death in The Bahamas, and are in contact with the Bahamian authorities. Our thoughts are with them at this difficult time."

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in