A Colombian bodybuilder, known to her fans as “She Hulk,” was tragically killed in Spain during a vacation. Her husband was also found dead in what local authorities and media have reported as a suspected case of murder-suicide. The couple, Zunilda Hoyos Mendez, 43, and Jarrod Gelling, 46, were found deceased in their rented residence in Malaga, where they had been residing for about a month following Gelling’s knee surgery.
Mendez, who also used the name Amy, had reportedly told family members that Gelling had been displaying aggressive behavior towards her over the past year. The couple had intended to separate after their vacation, which was scheduled to end with a bodybuilding competition in Portugal in a few weeks, according to family members.
The life of Mendez was tragically ended on Thursday in Malaga, Spain. Her family disclosed to the Spanish newspaper Sur that she had been a victim of abuse and was planning to divorce. The cause of Mendez’s death was multiple hammer blows, while Gelling was found in the bathroom with what appeared to be self-inflicted stab wounds, as reported by local Spanish media.
The bodies of the couple, covered in blood, were discovered in their home around 2 p.m. on Thursday. The Spanish National Police reported that Mendez’s body showed clear signs of violence, while Gelling’s death seemed to be a suicide, a fact that would need to be confirmed by an autopsy.
Mendez’s family had not been in contact with her since the previous Saturday. She and Gelling, who reportedly held dual Colombian and American citizenship, had traveled to southern Spain from Dubai, where they had lived for most of the past year. Mendez’s niece, Yuleydis, told Sur that her aunt had planned to assist Gelling with his post-surgery recovery before competing in Portugal and then returning to Colombia to finalize their divorce.
Mendez, who had affectionately named herself the “She Hulk,” had a significant online following. Besides her bodybuilding career, she had gathered over 100,000 followers on OnlyFans, according to local reports. Her coach, Brandon Rey, expressed his sorrow on Instagram, stating that they had planned to “hit the stage and shock the world” in just 17 days. He also highlighted the seriousness of domestic violence in another post. The investigation into the tragic incident is still ongoing.