Tyler Wilkin, 35, was shot and killed while camping alone on a Puerto Rico beach
Credit: GoFundMe
NEED TO KNOW
- Family and friends are seeking answers from Puerto Rican police concerning an Ohio man who was killed earlier this month while camping on a remote beach
- Tyler Wilkin, 35, was allegedly shot and killed in an execution-style murder, according to reports
- Wilkin’s family and friends have launched a fundraiser seeking tens of thousands to hire a private investigator to look into the case
Friends and family of an Ohio man found dead in an execution-style killing on a beach in Puerto Rico earlier this month are criticizing local police and saying they’re looking to hire a private investigator.
Tyler Wilkin,35, was found dead by a man taking a morning walk on the remote Playa la Selva beach in Puerto Rico on July 10, according to local outlets WKRC, WCPO, and WXIX.
According to WKRC, the Wilmington, Ohio, native had moved to a nearby area in Puerto Rico in 2024, where he later met his girlfriend Iva Mo. Mo is among those leading the call for further investigation into Wilkin’s death.
“He wasn’t just a victim of a homicide,” Mo told WXIX this week. “He was the love of my life — my best friend. Tyler deserved to come home. And he deserves some answers — and our entire community deserves justice.”
Credit: Google Maps
Mo told WKRC that Wilkin’s murder was “really hard to accept,” adding that she became increasingly concerned after not hearing from him the morning his body was found. Mo said Wilkin routinely sent “good morning” texts and had been frequently updating her with texts and photos throughout his camping trip.
WKRC reported that a beachgoer found Wilkin dead the morning of July 10 and that police later announced that he had been killed by a single gunshot wound to the back of the head. WXIX reported that local police have no suspects and the case remains open.
Mo told WKRC that she’s now suspicious about a few updates Wilkin had given her throughout the trip joking about a “rowdy” man near his campsite, who had allegedly been howling and shooting off what sounded like fireworks.
“He had texted to one of our friends saying, ‘The howler is back!’ And then, at two in the morning, like two hours later, he said something like, ‘This guy is getting rowdy, LOL.’ And that was the last that we ever heard of him,” Mo told the outlet.
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She, as well as Wilkin’s family and friends, have since urged local police to do more. Meanwhile, Wilkin’s family and friends have launched a GoFundMe that is currently seeking $30,000 to raise money for a private investigation into his alleged murder.
“We are determined to leave no stone unturned in the pursuit of the truth, and these additional funds will help us cover any and all expenses that may arise during the private investigation,” the page says. “Tyler deserved a full life, and he deserves for every possible avenue to be explored.”
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