Houston police investigate death of social media influencer Alexis Sharkey
Alexis Sharkey's body was discovered on Saturday morning on the side of the west Houston roadway; Investigators have not ruled out foul play
One of the public works employees who found 26-year-old social media influencer Alexis Sharkey’s naked body on the side of the road in Houston spoke out for the first time Saturday, a week after making the devastating discovery.
“It plays back in my head. It’s been playing back in my head every day," John Richardson, a supervisor for City of Houston Solid Waste, recalled in an on-camera interview aired by local affiliate KHOU on Saturday.
Richardson said one of his workers called him explaining that he thought he saw “a body or a mannequin” in the brush along Red Haw Lane while driving on his route the morning of Nov. 28.
“He wasn’t too sure. He wasn’t going to stop because he was scared or whatever the case may be, so he asked me to come out there to check it out," Richardson said.
“When we were driving, we could see the feet,” he said, recalling when he arrived at the area his employee described over the phone. “We got out and looked, and there it was. She was laying there deceased, no clothes on. I just got on the phone, and I called 911.”
The Houston Police Department said city employees found the deceased female around 8:30 a.m. on Nov. 28 at 1000 Red Haw Lane. She was found “along the side of the road and had no visible wounds.”
HOUSTON WOMAN ALEXIS SHARKEY HATED THE TERM 'INFLUENCER,' SISTER SAYS
Photo courtesy: Houston Police
The body was later identified by the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences, which is still working to determine a cause of death. Autopsy results remained pending as of Sunday.
“She was a beautiful, fun, ray of light to be around, and I can’t understand it," Stacey Robinault, Sharkey's mother, told the station in a phone interview. “I think that’s why it’s so surreal for the family because we can’t grasp on why harm would be done to her.”
A spokesperson for the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences told Fox News the possibility of foul play "has not been ruled out."
“Naturally, it puts us in this terrible state of purgatory, you know, limbo. We’re just trapped in the waiting," Robinault continued. “I talk to the detectives every day, and they assure me that they are working along, and they are reviewing and talking to people, so I know that they’re working along. To me, five days feels like eternity. And to them, I’m sure they’re just getting rolling.”
“I guess my question would be ‘why?'” she said. “Why would you do something so horrific to her? What was the ultimate gain? What was gained from that? Because all I know is tremendous loss.”
HOUSTON INFLUENCER ALEXIS SHARKEY WAS 'SCARED FOR HER LIFE,' WEEKS BEFORE DEATH, FRIENDS CLAIM
Alexis Sharkey was involved with a social media business that sells hair and skincare products
At the time of her death, Sharkey had about 21,000 followers on Instagram and had considered herself a mentor and businesswoman, according to relatives. She recently moved to Houston after marrying 49-year-old Tom Sharkey in December 2019.
In a phone interview with KTRK-TV last week, Tom Sharkey disputed claims that he and Alexis had gotten into an argument before she left their apartment the night of Nov. 27. He said that he had warned his wife against driving under the influence.
"She understood me. I understood her. We didn't fight when she left. I just told her she couldn't drive under the influence," he said. "She left anyhow. This is where we're at."
"It's horrible. People are talking tons of crap. I'm getting death threats and stuff,” he added.
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Her body was found the next morning about 3 miles from where the couple shared an apartment in Houston’s Energy Corridor District. Some of Alexis' friends have come forward since her death discounting her husband’s recollection of a happy marriage.
Police have not named a person of interest, and Tom Sharkey was reportedly cooperating with authorities.
Fox News' Stephanie Pagones contributed to this report.
