Alexis and Tom Sharkey married in December 2019 before moving to Houston a month later. Photo / Instagram
Alexis and Tom Sharkey married in December 2019 before moving to Houston a month later. Photo / Instagram
A cause of death has been revealed for an American Instagram model whose naked body was found dumped on a road after she went missing during Thanksgiving weekend last year.
Alexis Sharkey was strangled to death, with officials announcing on Tuesday it was a homicide.
Her death has been shrouded in mystery since her disappearance on November 27.
The 26-year-old went missing in the state of Texas after allegedly arguing with her husband Tom Sharkey, 49.
Her body was found by a sanitation worker in Houston who initially thought it was a mannequin after they spotted a pair of feet sticking out from under some bushes.
Following the grisly find, friends of Mrs Sharkey spoke out about her relationship with her husband, alleging she'd been planning to get a divorce and had grown afraid of him.
Mr Sharkey later claimed there was no rift in their marriage and said he was co-operating with detectives.
He said he feels confident the Houston Police Department is "going to find everyone that was involved".
Police have so far made no arrests and the matter is still under investigation.
It had previously been reported that Mrs Sharkey's body had no visible injuries.
Alexis Sharkey's body was found dumped on a road after she went missing last year. Photo / Instagram
Alexis' mother, Stacey Robinault, said in December she had to "fight" Mr Sharkey for access to his late wife's body after he stopped communicating with the family for two weeks, The NY Post reports.
Originally, he was listed as the next of kin in the medical examiner's records, but that was later changed to her parents.
Robinault also said in an interview with local media that her daughter's death was "absolutely foul play" before the coroner's report had been returned.
Alexis and Tom married in December 2019 before moving to Houston a month later.
Posting a tribute after her death, Mr Sharkey described his wife as "the most amazing woman".
Sharing pictures of her in her wedding dress, Mr Sharkey wrote: "Never seen or felt such beauty! You are my world!
"You made life so incredible! Made sense of my existence! My purpose! And showed me how to truly love!"
Alexis Sharkey went missing in the state of Texas after allegedly arguing with her husband. Photo / Instagram
Robinault described her "broken heart" after discovering her daughter was dead.
"We cannot begin to thank you all for your love and the kind words you've extended to our family," she wrote.
Speaking before her daughter's body was found, she told Eyewitness News from her home in northwest Pennsylvania about the disappearance.
She said her friends had last heard from her at 6pm on November 27, before calls to her phone went straight to voicemail.
"[Thanksgiving] was a busy day on her end and our end and so it was just one of those passing, type of 'Love you' things," she told reporters.
"Then Friday … honestly, Friday got away. [It was a] busy day. We never talked, and then she went missing Friday night and I have not seen her or heard from her since."
Robinault also told outlet KPRC 2 that there was an argument and Mrs Sharkey left and didn't take her car.
