Greta Marie Otteson, 33, and her fiancé, Arno Els Quinton, 36, were tragically found dead at the villa they managed in Hoi An, Vietnam, on Boxing Day. The couple had recently gotten engaged and moved to Vietnam to run a guesthouse for travelers. After enjoying a Christmas Eve dinner, they received two bottles of homemade limoncello, which investigators later discovered were contaminated with methanol, a highly toxic substance. Greta texted her parents that night, describing what she thought was “the worst hangover ever,” before the couple decided to “sleep it off.” Sadly, they never woke up.

Vietnamese authorities determined that the drinks were made using unsafe ingredients, including medical-grade alcohol. A local barman was charged with violating food safety laws and faces a possible prison sentence of seven to 15 years. Greta’s parents, Paul and Susan, revealed that they had unknowingly ordered those very bottles as a Christmas gift after visiting the couple in November and sampling limoncello at a restaurant. The grieving parents now keep their daughter’s and Arno’s ashes in their home in Wales, unable to lay them to rest until justice is served.

Paul described the heartbreaking visit where he met Arno for the first time, calling him quiet, intelligent, and someone he would have been proud to call a son-in-law. The couple’s sudden passing has left the family devastated, with Paul emphasizing their need for accountability and closure. “We can’t move on until those responsible are named and prosecuted,” he said.

Methanol poisoning is a recurring issue in parts of Southeast Asia, as methanol is a cheap industrial alcohol sometimes illegally used in counterfeit spirits. Just a small amount can be lethal, with symptoms often delayed for up to 24 hours. Authorities continue to urge travelers to seek immediate medical attention if they suspect contaminated alcohol, as tragedies like Greta and Arno’s highlight the deadly consequences of unsafe drinks.