Two men were found dead Wednesday inside a luxury hotel room at the former Versace Mansion in Miami Beach where the acclaimed fashion designer was shot to death 24 years ago.
Housekeeping staff at The Villa Casa Casuarina reportedly found the bodies shortly after 1 p.m. inside the room on Ocean Drive and called Miami Beach Police, according to WSVN News 7.
Authorities have not yet revealed the identities of the deceased, nor how the men died or whether foul play was suspected.
The scene was reportedly contained to the one room, and no other casualties have been reported.
Police and fire rescue crews responded to the scene, reports said.
The grim discovery at the opulent Mediterranean-style mansion in South Beach occurred one day before the 24th anniversary of Gianni Versace’s death on July 15, 1997.
The 50-year-old designer had just returned home from breakfast at a local café and was unlocking the front gate of his home when Andrew Cunanan, a 27-year-old man wanted in a cross-country killing spree, shot Versace twice in the back of the head and fled the scene.
The shocking murder made international headlines as the FBI and local law enforcement searched the area for more than a week before surrounding the elusive suspect on an empty houseboat about 40 blocks north of the mansion, where he killed himself.
The palatial home was built in 1930 by Standard Oil heir Alden Freeman, and years after Versace’s death became a boutique hotel with 10 rooms. The mansion was sold in 2013 to VM South Beach LLC, which also owns the Hotel Victor next door to the former mansion, according to CBS 4 in Miami.
The hotel has become known as a premier destination in Miami for fine dining, parties, fashion shows, photo shoots and celebrity appearances. Early last month, Floyd Mayweather and Logan Paul faced off there ahead of their boxing match at Hard Rock Stadium.
This is a developing story. Please stay with AJC.com for the latest details.
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