A tranquil camping trip turned into a tragic nightmare for an Ohio man in Puerto Rico, as it has emerged he was killed execution-style during the outing.
Tyler Wilkin, aged 35, who had relocated from Ohio to Puerto Rico in 2024, was discovered deceased with a fatal gunshot wound to the back of his head earlier this month.
According to reports from WKRC, friends and family revealed that Wilkin had been camping at Playa La Selva, a secluded beach near Luquillo, prior to his murder.
The harrowing details suggest that Tyler Wilkin, 35, fell victim to an execution-style shooting while enjoying a camping getaway in Puerto Rico. (Lilly Wright, GoFundMe)
Puerto Rican news source TeleOnce has reported that the authorities found a body in the mangroves of the beach on July 10.
A woman who said she was Wilkin’s girlfriend, Iva Mo, told FOX 19 Cincinnati that Wilkin had been texting friends from the campsite about hearing eerie howling outside his tent and what sounded like fireworks.
Tyler Wilkin is survived by his parents and four other siblings following his death. (Lilly Wright, GoFundMe)
The following night, he texted another unsettling message, saying “the howler is back,” Mo said.
About two hours after that, he texted that the person was “getting rowdy lol.”
Wilkin’s loved ones have organized a fundraiser to help pay for the hire of a private investigator in the case.
Tyler Wilkin’s body was reportedly discovered by authorities on Playa La Selva in Luquillo, Puerto Rico on July 10. (Getty Images: Swathi Chirra)
The fundraiser page said in a recent post, “We are determined to leave no stone unturned in the pursuit of the truth, and these additional funds will help us cover any and all expenses that may arise during the private investigation. Tyler deserved a full life, and he deserves for every possible avenue to be explored.”
An obituary for Wilkin says he was born in Wilmington, Ohio and is survived by his parents and four siblings.
“He enjoyed life by the beach playing tennis, hiking, rock climbing, and activities to spend quality time with friends. Yet no matter where life took him, he was never too far from home. He made frequent trips back to be present with those he loved most,” the obituary said.
A Facebook user named Trigger Ray, who said he was Wilkin’s friend, created a post linking to the fundraiser that said in part, “Tyler was an awesome guy and a great friend, incredibly intelligent with more opportunities ahead of him than most folks I’ve ever met.”
News Media has reached out to Policía de Puerto Rico for more information on the case.