Police investigate sudden death of ex-swimming champ in U.S. Virgin Islands

Investigators in the U.S. Virgin Islands have launched a criminal probe into the unexplained death of a retired American athlete, authorities confirmed. 

Jamie Cail, 42, was pronounced dead on arrival by medical workers at a hospital on St. John last week, the U.S. Virgin Islands Police Department said in a news release. Cail, a former competitive swimmer who participated in several major races and took home a handful of titles in the late 1990s and early 2000s, lived and worked at a local coffee shop on St. John, her family said, according to WMUR. She was originally from, Claremont, New Hampshire, the station reported.

Cail’s boyfriend, whose name has not been shared publicly, found her unresponsive on the floor of their shared residence just after 12 a.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 21, according to U.S. Virgin Islands police. The boyfriend had “left a local bar to check on his girlfriend” at home, the police department wrote its news release.

“Upon his arrival, he discovered his girlfriend on the floor,” police said. “With assistance from a friend, the male was able to get the female to a nearby vehicle and transported the female” to a local hospital.

Staff administered CPR to Cail, according to the police department, which said she “succumbed to her ailment.” Cail’s identity was confirmed by her boyfriend, police said.

This case is now under investigation by the Criminal Investigation Bureau, a branch of the U.S. Virgin Islands Police Department. Police are asking anyone with information related to the case to report what they know to law enforcement by calling Crime Stoppers, or by contacting the Criminal Investigation Bureau directly.

CBS News reached out the police department for additional information about the probe into Cail’s death but did not receive an immediate response.

Cail began to swim competitively during childhood, her family told WMUR. Between 1998 and 1999, records show she competed in freestyle and butterfly races, as well as medleys, while swimming for the U.S. at the Pan Pacific Championships and the FINA Swimming World Cup. 

She earned a gold medal at the former tournament and a silver medal at the latter, according to FINA, the swimming federation now known as World Aquatics, which is recognized by the International Olympic Committee for administering international competitions for water sports. Cail was a member of the women’s swim team at the University of Maine during the 2000-2001 academic year, according to the university’s alumni association.