Ashly Robinson, known online as lifestyle influencer Ashlee Jenae, was found unresponsive in her villa at the Zuri Zanzibar resort in Zanzibar, Tanzania, on April 11 or 12, 2026, during a luxury trip to celebrate her 31st birthday and recent engagement.
The Miami-based content creator, who described herself as a “soft life divestor” on Instagram under handles including @ashleejenae and @xoashleyjenae, had arrived in the African nation on April 5. She was rushed to a local hospital where she was later pronounced dead.
Her fiancé, Joe McCann, founder of Asymmetric Financial, reportedly told authorities she died by hanging, but her family and friends have strongly disputed that account and are calling for a full investigation into the circumstances at the upscale Zanzibar resort.
Ashly Robinson built a loyal following as a Miami lifestyle influencer who shared glimpses of her “soft life” journey, fashion, travel, and personal growth with thousands of followers. Friends described her as a warm, kind, and vibrant personality whose playful humor and gentle spirit made her a light to those around her.
Originally from a family that had faced hardship, she embraced opportunities to celebrate joy and success. The trip to Zanzibar was meant to mark a joyful milestone after her engagement to Joe McCann during a safari earlier in the week.
The vacation began on April 5, 2026 as Ashly Robinson celebrated turning 31 with her fiancé at the luxury Zuri Zanzibar resort. McCann proposed during the getaway, creating what her family later called one of the happiest moments of her life. Photos and posts from the trip showed her glowing and excited about the future. The couple was staying in a private villa at the resort on the island of Unguja in Zanzibar, Tanzania, when the tragic events unfolded just days later.
Ashly Robinson was discovered unconscious in her villa at the Zuri Zanzibar resort according to her family’s public statement. She was transported to a nearby medical facility where her death was confirmed hours later. Her fiancé, Joe McCann, has reportedly informed authorities and associates that she died by suicide via hanging. Tanzanian police have referenced this account in preliminary comments while confirming an active investigation is underway into the death at the resort.
Friends and family of Ashly Robinson have publicly rejected the suicide narrative, insisting that nothing in her life or recent joyful posts suggested she would take her own life. A close friend posted on social media demanding justice and stating that “anyone who knows Ash knows she would NEVER commit suicide.”
The Robinson and Endres families released a joint statement expressing deep concern over the circumstances and calling for transparency from authorities and all involved. They noted they have not yet received an official autopsy report or clear answers from Tanzanian officials.
The death of Ashly Robinson remains under active investigation by Zanzibar authorities as her family continues to seek clarity and full transparency regarding the events at the Zuri Zanzibar resort. No final official cause of death has been publicly confirmed beyond the fiancé’s reported statement. The case has drawn widespread attention online with many calling for a thorough probe into the circumstances surrounding the influencer’s sudden passing during what was intended as a celebratory trip in Zanzibar, Tanzania.
