Suspect in luxury Long Island resort murder found dead in apparent suicide

LONG ISLAND - The suspect in the murder of a woman who was found dead inside a high-end resort and spa in the Hamptons has killed himself, police said.

Police said Thomas Gannon, 56, was found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound at his home located at 19 Hidden Brooke Drive in Honesdale, Pennsylvania.

Police responded to Shou Sugi Ban House, located at 337 Montauk Highway, on Monday around 12:30 p.m. after a staff member found the woman, identified as Sabina Rosas, 33, of Brooklyn, dead inside the room at the Water Mill resort.

Liz Phillips was shocked to hear about Rosas death.

"She was beautiful and talented," she said. "She really lit up a classroom like no one else."

Phillips shared these pictures of Rosas, who was her mentee and former student at SUNY Purchase. In a phone interview she says Sabina, who was from Tajikistan, used her family name Khorramdel for her portfolio and tells us they were supposed to meet on Monday, but she never heard from her.

"I started to call her in the afternoon, when are you coming, what time, what’s going on," she said.

Phillips says Rosas always enjoyed spas.

The Japanese-inspired wellness resort that’s marked by a big Buddha statue out front, prides itself on relaxation and seclusion, not murder and mystery.

Longtime residents who live nearby want to know who is responsible.

"We saw police most of the day lined Montauk Highway, obviously a morgue truck came up," said Tom Pedrazzi.

The murder is a topic of conversation in the Hamptons. The area is hardly ever the center of a crime scene.

Suffolk County police didn’t speak on camera but said Rosas was a victim of violence, and it appeared to be an isolated incident. Attempts to reach Shou Sugi Ban House were unsuccessful.

"It’s the dichotomy of it," Pedrazzi said. "All of these people want to have a good time, and sometimes it turns in the wrong direction."

Officials aren't saying how Rosas died. The medical examiner is doing an autopsy.

"We urge anyone with information regarding the circumstances of Sabina's death to come forward and assist the ongoing investigations. Your support during this challenging time is a testament to just how special Sabina was and will remain," Sabina's family said in a statement.

Detectives are asking anyone with information to call the Homicide Squad at 631-852-6392 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-220-TIPS.

FOX 5 NY's Jodi Goldberg contributed to this report.