Jenny Lupton family and son: ‘Foul play’ suspected in Oklahoma Southwest flight attendant's death in Hawaii

The probe into the mysterious death of a Southwest flight attendant from Oklahoma, believed to have fallen 24 stories from a hotel in Hawaii, is being conducted by homicide detectives, as her family expresses concerns about potential foul play.

Jenny Lupton , a 50-year-old mother of a teenage son, was on a work layover when she was discovered near a dumpster at the base of the Hilton Hawaiian Village resort in Honolulu last Thursday. Her injuries show that she may have fallen from her balcony on the 24th floor.

The investigation is being overseen by a specialized Homicide Detail unit, which is responsible for examining murders, suicides, and other suspicious or unexplained fatalities, according to the Honolulu Police Department on Monday.

The team is “is actively investigating the circumstances surrounding her death and is working closely with her family,” the department said. “At this time, no conclusions have been made regarding the manner of death,” it added.

The family of the Oklahoma mother is resolute in their belief that she was not suicidal and that a more sinister event must have occurred.

Speaking to USA Today on Monday, Lupton’s niece, Hannah said, “We are worried that there is possible foul play involved.”

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Hannah echoed the sentiments of Lupton's sister, Tresa, who also harbors fears that something malevolent may have transpired. “We strongly believe that she didn’t do this intentionally, and so that leads us to think it was either some kind of freak accident or someone harmed her,” she stated to KFOR.

Lupton, who has served as a Southwest stewardess for 23 years and is the mother of a 15-year-old son named Kaleb, informed her family about a tattoo she was getting, her niece said.

“She had texted the family and told us how, once she got home, we were going to get it colored in, and my mother was going to get the same tattoo with her,” Hannah mentioned.

Lupton's cause of death is still under investigation, with law enforcement cautioning that the process "will take time."

Detectives are carrying out multiple interviews, analyzing and retrieving surveillance footage, and scrutinizing evidence as part of the investigation, they stated on Monday, affirming that an unattended death inquiry has been initiated.

Investigators are currently reviewing surveillance footage from the 70 cameras that are said to be located near the scene in an effort to reconstruct her last moments.

Shweta Kukreti has over 8 years of experience in covering Indian and world politics. She joined the Hindustan Times in 2024 and is primarily assigned to the US desk. She currently works as Deputy Chief Content Producer and reports on a wide range of topics, including US politics, immigration issues (especially H-1B visa) and major global events. Shweta strongly emphasizes team operations, which encompasses monitoring news, delegating tasks, editing, developing comprehensive coverage strategies, and crafting engaging, and data-informed narratives.