The deaths of Thomasina and Patrick Tobin, who were found deceased in a hot tub at their Spanish holiday villa on August 25, are likely due to electrocution, according to a family friend speaking to the Daily Mail. The Spanish coroner has reportedly informed grieving friends that Patrick Tobin may have died while attempting to rescue his wife, Thomasina, after she encountered difficulty in the water.
Foul play has been ruled out by authorities. The preliminary findings suggest Thomasina was in the hot tub when the electrical shock occurred. Her husband, Patrick, is believed to have been fatally injured while trying to pull her out, with his wet body potentially conducting the current as he was found beside the tub. Superficial injuries on their bodies reportedly indicated a struggle or rescue attempt.
The couple, who had been staying at Villa Luna in Cullera, south of Valencia, were discovered by their two children, a 14-year-old boy and a 16-year-old girl, in the early hours of August 25. The children, who have mild special needs, are now being cared for by relatives in London.
The family had traveled from London on August 22 for a two-week summer holiday. Thomasina Tobin, 51, was a quantity surveyor, and Patrick Tobin was a manager at HCLTech. The luxury villa, costing £2,600 per week, offered a private pool and an indoor spa area.
While initial autopsy results reported by local media indicated cardiopulmonary arrest as the cause of death for both individuals, investigators are now focusing on the electrocution theory. The exact source of the electrical fault—whether from the hot tub itself or an external source—remains under investigation. An expert was reportedly brought in to inspect the hot tub, and toxicology reports are pending.
Legal representatives for the owners of the holiday complex, Colina Del Sol, have stated that there are no criminal charges or civil lawsuits against their clients and that the unit was functioning correctly. The CEO of Goccia Spa, the company that reportedly supplied a hot tub installed at the villa in 2019, suggested that if the hot tub was from his company, its warranty would have expired long ago, placing liability with the owner.
The incident has drawn parallels to other hot tub electrocution deaths, including cases in Mexico in July of the previous year and June 2024, where faulty wiring was alleged to be the cause.
Thomasina and Patrick Tobin had been together for nearly 20 years, meeting while working at Nokia in London, where they raised their children. The community of Castleblayney, Ireland, where Thomasina grew up, is preparing to gather for the funerals, reflecting the close-knit nature of the town.
Friends have described the couple as "super chilled" and a "perfect couple." The tragedy has left their teenage children orphaned, and their future care is being managed with the involvement of social services and family support.