Suspect in Sabina Rosas murder at luxury Long Island resort found dead in Pennsylvania
WATER MILL, N.Y. — The suspect in the murder of Sabina Rosas has been found dead, police said Wednesday.
Thomas Gannon, 56, was found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in Honesdale, Pennsylvania, Suffolk County Police said.
Gannon's relationship with Rosas was not immediately released by police.
Rosas, 33, was found dead Monday in a guest room of the Shou Sugi Ban House, a luxury wellness resort. Police have not yet said how she died, only that she "was a victim of violence." Her cause of death will be determined by the medical examiner.
Rosas also went by her given name, Sabina Khorramdel.
"As the eldest of three daughters, Sabina brought excitement, adventure, joy, and love to our family," her family said in a statement.
Thomas Gannon suspected in murder of Sabina Rosas
According to friends of Rosas, Gannon was infatuated with Rosas, a Brooklyn artist.
A photo shows Gannon at a Philadelphia museum with a display of Rosas' work, and another photo shows him with Rosas and her mentor and art teacher Elizabeth Phillips in her Sunnyside, Queens home.
"He was here for dinner twice ... He had money, and he wanted to help her and he wanted to be with her all the time," Phillips said.
"What kind of a feeling did you get from that?" CBS News New York's Jennifer McLogan asked.
"Oh, we both had the creeps," Phillips said.
When Rosas launched a GoFundMe to raise money to attend an artist residency in Portugal in November, Gannon donated $1,000 and wrote, "You have an amazing gift and soon all the world will see. I love you."
Friends mourn loss of Sabina Rosas
Ryder Iwata, calling himself the best friend and fiancé of Rosas, is unable to come to terms with her violent and sudden death.
"It's a murder out of passion because this person who took her life didn't want to share her with anybody," Iwata said.
"A sort shining light, funny, fun, creative and always doing interesting projects," Phillips said. "It's an enormous loss. She was an extraordinarily creative and capable artist/painter."
"She was probably the most undiscovered and underrated artist of our generation," Iwata said.
Iwata says Rosas' family lives in Tajikistan and will fly her body home once the autopsy is completed. Her grieving artist community is planning a memorial.
