Foul play has ‘not been ruled out’ in Houston social media influencer's death: Officials

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The possibility of foul play "has not been ruled out" in the death of a social media influencer whose body was found in Houston after she disappeared over the weekend, an official said Tuesday.

An autopsy of Alexis Sharkey was pending "further studies" as of Tuesday afternoon. A spokesperson for the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences, the agency performing the examination, said the possibility of foul play remains.

The 26-year-old's naked body was discovered around 8:30 a.m. Saturday near Red Haw Lane, officials said, by a city public works employee who reported seeing feet in some bushes along the street, according to ABC13.

Alexis Lee Sharkey was 26 when she was found dead in Houston. (Stacey Clark Robinault)

Police said there were no visible wounds on her body.

On Tuesday, the spokesperson would not say how long the additional studies would take and would not confirm whether a toxicology exam would be conducted.

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Sharkey, who boasted a large following on social media, and her husband, Tom, moved to northwest Houston at the beginning of the year following their wedding, her mother, Stacey Robinault, previously told Fox News.

Robinault, of Pennsylvania, said Tom Sharkey told her Saturday that his wife "took off" and she grew concerned.

"Everyone was in a panic. Her friends. It made our panic worse," she said.

Robinault is adamant her daughter "didn't wind up where she was found on her own." She previously told Click2Houston.com she believes her daughter's death was not an accident. 

"The way in which she was found – my child would never do that to herself," Robinault reportedly said. "That doesn’t even make sense. That is absolutely foul play."

The Daily Beast, citing Alexis Sharkey's friends, reported the young woman wanted to file for divorce or was already in the process of getting one. She spent a recent trip arguing with her husband and said he “had been putting hands on her," one friend said.

"Throughout the trip, he was sending really awful, nasty messages to her," said the friend, who asked to remain anonymous. "But one night when she and I were talking alone she said, 'He strangles me and chokes me out and I blackout and wake up on the bathroom floor every single time.'"

The pair reportedly still was living together.

Police did not comment on Tom Sharkey when contacted by Fox News on Tuesday, citing an ongoing investigation.

But Sharkey insisted on Facebook he has been assisting police and trying to find out what happened to Alexis.

"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 [sic] time talking about other things. Basically crap talk!" he wrote on Facebook Monday night. "And if my wife would of [sic] seen this she would be disappointed in your actions! You all should be ashamed of yourselves!"

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A fundraising page created for the Robinault family raised more than $19,000 by Tuesday afternoon, surpassing its $15,000 goal.

A memorial in Sharkey’s honor has been scheduled for Thursday.

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Fox News's Robert Gearty contributed to this report.