An Instagram and TikTok influencer's naked body was found next to a road with no obvious signs of injury after she disappeared following an alleged row with her husband.
The mysterious death of Alexis Sharkey, 26, is being probed as a possible murder, and her devastated mum, Stacey Robinault, said she believes it is "absolutely foul play".
Two friends claim Alexis' husband Tom, 49, told them he and his wife got into an argument and she "hopped over their fence and into a car" at their home in Houston, Texas.
One friend claims Alexis and Tom, who married less than a year ago, were "going through a divorce" after trouble in their relationship.
Tom has paid tribute to his wife in a series of Facebook posts, and hit back at people casting suspicion on him.
Detectives said Alexis' body had no visible injuries and they believe it had been next to the road for hours before it was found by a passing bin lorry driver at 8am on Saturday.
Her feet were seen sticking out of bushes, local media reported.
She was last heard from at about 6pm on Friday amid the US Thanksgiving holiday weekend.
Her mum, Stacey, had posted an appeal on Facebook while she was missing, and later told KPRC-TV that Alexis left her home following an argument with someone, who wasn't named in the report, but didn't take her car.
Stacey told the TV station that her daughter's friends called her on Saturday night to tell her that Alexis was missing and police were investigating.
Police told the family on Monday that a naked body found on Saturday was Alexis. It was discovered a few miles from her home.
Stacey said: “The way in which she was found - my child would never do that to herself. That doesn’t even make sense.
"That is absolutely foul play. There is nothing to me that suggests that this was an accident.
"And there’s nothing to me that suggests anything else, other than that this was done to her. And I believe that in my mother’s gut."
Police said the cause of death was still pending.
Stacey said Alexis was planning to return to the family home in Youngsville, Pennsylvania, for Christmas after not seeing her parents or sisters for a year.
Alexis, who had a biology degree, had moved to west Texas, where she met Tom.
They got married in December 2019 and moved to Houston in January.
Tom has been posting photos of the couple on Facebook, with one post stating: "My world! My everything! I’m so lost right now! My one and only!"
There has been a host of speculation in the comments under his posts, prompting him to write: "While some of you were posting on social media helping us locate my world! And we appreciate all your help, love and support!
"Others were waisting time talking about other things. Basically c*** talk! And if my wife would of seen this she would be disappointed in your actions!
"You all should be ashamed of yourselves!
"I have been assisting the deputies and making phone calls to fine out what happened to my wife. Next time.... stop and think!
"And realize! You don’t know it all!"
Alexis' friends told the Daily Beast that the influencer, who had more than 50,000 followers on TikTok, and her husband were going through a divorce following trouble in their relationship.
One pal, who wasn't named, said: “Her and her husband were going through a divorce."
Another friend, Kendra Martin, said Alexis' demeanour had changed in recent weeks, adding: “I know they were going through some things.
"She had mentioned being separated even though they were still living in the same apartment."
The friends said Alexis, who did social media work for the hair-care company Monat, spent Thanksgiving with a friend instead of her husband.
They said alarm bells went off when she stopped responding to messages at about 6pm on Friday.
Two friends claim Tom told them he argued with Alexis before she went missing and she had “hopped over their patio fence and into a car".
Police have not named any suspects or persons of interest.
