Autopsy reveals cause of Puerto Rican volleyballer’s death in Türkiye

Puerto Rican volleyball player Pilar Marie Victoria Lopez died in her apartment in Bursa, Türkiye.

The 28-year-old athlete played for Nilufer Belediyespor in the Sultanlar Ligi. Her teammates and club officials found her unresponsive after she failed to attend a scheduled training session.

Authorities ruled out foul play and confirmed that she died of natural causes.

Autopsy confirms natural death with no criminal factors involved

Lopez’s autopsy results, released five and a half months after her death, confirmed that she died of natural causes. The Bursa Public Prosecutor’s Office completed its investigation and found no criminal involvement.

Officials did not find any evidence of forced entry, drug use, or self-harm in her apartment. The final report stated that Lopez had internal bleeding in her pancreas but no external trauma.

Investigators considered food poisoning as a possible cause.

• On Aug. 28, 2024, Lopez ate a mushroom chicken salad with her teammate Julia Szczurowska at a nearby restaurant before returning home.
• Later that night, she took two painkillers and sent messages to her friends between 11:00 p.m. and midnight.

The next day, she did not arrive for training.

Teammates officials discover Pilar Victoria’s body after missing practice

When Lopez failed to respond to phone calls, Nilufer Belediyespor officials went to her apartment in the Besevler neighborhood.

She did not answer the door, so they called a locksmith to gain entry. Inside, they found her lifeless in bed. Medical personnel arrived and confirmed her death.

Nilufer Belediyespor Club Manager Kenan Dastan was among those who entered her home. He stated, “We tried calling her multiple times, but when we couldn’t reach her, we went to her apartment. We found her lifeless in her bed. It’s a devastating loss for all of us.”

Pilar Victoria Lopez built a strong career in international volleyball

Lopez joined Nilufer Belediyespor in August 2024 after playing for Beziers Volley in France. She had an impressive volleyball career, representing Puerto Rico’s national team and competing for college teams in the United States, including the Texas Longhorns and Arkansas Razorbacks.

Her sudden death deeply affected the volleyball community.

The sudden and unexpected death of Pilar Marie Victoria has deeply affected us all. Her contributions to our team, both as a player and as a person, will always be remembered. We send our heartfelt condolences to her family, friends, and loved ones.

Nilufer Belediyespor said in an official statement

Her family, team officials, and representatives from Bursa’s Nilufer Municipality attended a ceremony before sending her remains to Puerto Rico for burial.