A BRITISH woman and her fiance were allegedly fatally poisoned by methanol-laced limoncello mysteriously delivered to their Vietnam hotel.
Greta Marie Otteson, 33, and Arno Els Quinton, 36, recently got engaged and were reportedly given two bottles of homemade liqueur as a gift from a nearby restaurant on Christmas Eve.
Unfortunately, their bodies were discovered in different rooms within the Hoi An Silverbell Villa on Boxing Day, just three weeks after they had gotten engaged.
Authorities began investigating their deaths promptly, revealing that they found empty bottles in the rooms of the villa where the couple had been working for the past 10 months.
Now cops say the couple’s deaths were caused by methanol poisoning from contaminated alcohol, believed to be “homemade” limoncello purchased from a local restaurant on Christmas Eve.
Greta’s mother, Susan, had recently visited the couple in Vietnam, where they had moved in February last year.
In one of Greta and Arno’s final photos, taken December 23, the couple stood proudly next to a newly purchased moped that was “red for Wales”.
The following night, two bottles of limoncello were delivered to the hotel reception from a different restaurant.
A source close to the family told The Times: “Police forensics established the limoncello, which had been delivered, was the source.”
The next morning, Greta messaged her parents, describing “the worst hangover ever” and seeing “black spots” in her vision.
Despite these alarming symptoms, the couple decided to “sleep it off.”
A concerned local bar owner offered to take them to the hospital, but they declined.
Tragically, both were found dead hours later — Greta in her bed and Arno in a nearby room.
Methanol, a toxic industrial chemical, is often found in counterfeit or home-brewed alcohol.
Even small amounts can lead to blindness, brain damage, and death.
Greta’s devastated parents, Susan and Paul, said in a statement: “Greta and Arno were experienced worldwide travellers.
“They found their perfect home and were incredibly happy.”
Paul, originally from Swansea, shared a photo of the couple, smiling at each other during their engagement photoshoot, and described Arno as “a lovely boy…a great musician, composer, and lyricist.”
Greta and Arno had been living a dream life in Vietnam.
They had met in the Middle East while travelling before deciding to spontaneously move to the Asian country.
Social media marketing manager Greta had been living in Dubai and backpacked around Asia before meeting barista and musician Arno.
He described the move to Vietnam as “fun”, “crazy”, and “insane” in a heartwarming clip he posted on social media.
Instagram posts showed them exploring local beauty spots, rescuing a dog named Bambi, and running the Silverbell Villa, which guests praised as “beautifully kept” with “fabulous hosts.”
The luxury villa with its own pool has a 4.5-star rating and is located just 4.5 km from Hoi An Ancient Town, making it a popular tourist destination.
An Instagram post on December 3 made their engagement official and this was followed by a romantic YouTube video on December 11, two weeks before they died.
The video production company Red Eye Studios shared the video saying: “This shoot was charged with so much emotion, reminding us how powerful the union of two souls can be. We will miss you great souls.”
Greta donned a white dress and was filmed walking hand-in-hand with her husband-to-be before the pair danced and laughed on the beach.
Friends have since paid tribute to the loved-up couple following their shocking deaths.
One said: “Greta loved Arno unconditionally and was his bedrock, giving him the freedom to do what he needed to without a faltering foundation.
“There are two distinct things that are so prominent in my thoughts and that is her laugh and how much love they constantly [threw] at each other, regardless of who was around.
“They celebrated each other there and I know they will continue doing that, wherever they are.”
Arno’s friend Dayle Visser thanked his “fierce friend” saying: “You were real and lived life harder than most people could ever dream of.
“I love you and I will always miss you.”
Their deaths have raised urgent questions about alcohol safety in the region.
While no arrests have been made, the restaurant believed to have supplied the limoncello remains open, The Times reported.
The families are now calling for justice.
“Our aim is to bring the people who supplied the alcohol and killed Greta and Arno to justice,” Paul said.
The couple’s ashes have been returned to Bahrain, where Greta’s parents live, following a cremation in Vietnam.
“At some time in the future, we will have a memorial service for them both,” Paul added.
“Arno’s family expressed a wish that they should be together, which we wholeheartedly agree [with].”
In a joint statement, the families said: “Whilst the investigation is under way, procedural requirements and due diligence are being followed.
“Both families are aligned with the authorities in our shared goal of holding those responsible accountable.”
The UK Foreign Office confirmed it is supporting Greta’s family and is in contact with Vietnamese authorities.
The tragedy echoes a similar incident in Laos just five weeks earlier, when six people, including British lawyer Simone White, 28, died after drinking contaminated vodka shots at a hostel.
