Maybe don’t check into this hostel where 6 partygoers just died in a truly scary way

In what’s become one of the top true crime stories of the year, at least six tourists have been killed in the Southeast Asian backpacking hotspot of Laos. What was supposed to be a fun night of partying in the tourist town of Vang Vieng has now led to the death of a second Australian teenager, amidst other victims.

What’s even more suspicious, is that five of the victims suffered alcohol poisoning, and one hostel in Laos is being linked to the deaths. Evidently, the hostel manager has a lot of explaining to do. 

Holly Bowles confirmed dead in Thailand

Holly Bowles is the sixth foreign tourist to die in Laos in the last few weeks in what seems to be a case of poisonous alcoholic drinks gone wrong. Her death comes right after that of her best friend, Bianca Jones. Both Australian women were aged 19 and were in Laos in the small tourist town of Vang Vieng on a gap year when they fell ill a few weeks ago. The women were rushed to a hospital in Thailand on Nov. 13 after suddenly falling ill and were both placed on life support. Their families rushed to Thailand to be with them, but despite the hospital’s best efforts, Jones passed away on Nov. 21, and Bowles died a day after.

Bowles’ family released a statement to multiple Australian news networks that read, “We are so sad to say that our beautiful girl Holly is now at peace. We find comfort and solace in knowing that Holly brought so much joy and happiness to so many people.” They added that Holly had been “living her best life traveling through Southeast East Asia meeting new friends and enjoying incredible experiences.”

Bowles and Jones were just the most recent in a series of deaths connected to a hostel in Vang Vieng that allegedly served poisoned alcohol to its guests. The victims all died of methanol poisoning and boarded at the same hostel in the town which has now come under investigation. 

Hostel manager accused of killing six with bootleg alcohol

Most of the deaths have been tied to Nana Backpackers Hostel, a hostel for tourists in Vang Vieng. Following the death of the two teenagers, AP News reported that a few people were taken in for questioning, including the owner and manager of the hostel, but no charges had been made. The hostel confirmed that it gave out free shots to up to a hundred guests, however, the manager, named Duong Duc Toan, insists that all of their drinks were clean. 

Methanol is often illegally used as a mixer in alcoholic drinks because it is cheaper than ethanol and undetectable to customers. This allows shady people to sell more drinks without spending the money to acquire those quantities. The victims are British woman Simone White (28), Danish women Anne-Sofie Orklid Coyman (20) and Freja Vennervald Sorensen (21), Australian woman Bianca Jones, and American man James Louis Huston (57).

Australian foreign minister Penny Wong released a statement mourning Bowles which read, “All Australians will be heartbroken by the tragic passing of Holly Bowles.” The US State Department, and that of many more countries, has also issued health alerts, warning citizens who planned to travel to Laos of a “suspected methanol poisoning in Vang Vient, possibly through the consumption of methanol-laced alcoholic drinks.”