Mystery over death of woman, 25, 'found with bruises on her face after last phone call with her sister'

By KATHERINE LAWTON, SENIOR NEWS REPORTER Published: 10:34, 5 July 2026 | Updated: 10:47, 5 July 2026 Mystery surrounds the death of a woman who was found with bruises on her face after a final phone call with her sister, an inquest has heard.  Gabrielle Varley, 25, was drinking up to three bottles of vodka a day before her death at home in Exeter, the inquest was told.   During a final phone conversation with her sister, she said she hadn't slept or eaten and had bad stomach cramps. Neither a pathologist nor toxicologist could confirm how she died after she was found lifeless at home by a friend on September 25, 2024. Bruises were noted on her face but police concluded there was no third party involved in her death. Devon area coroner Deborah Archer accepted that Ms Varley's death remains unascertained, because no expert could say why she died. In a hearing on Thursday, June 25, Devon Coroners' Court heard how jobless Ms Varley was found dead after friends became concerned for her welfare when she failed to return messages and calls. She had recently returned from the Caribbean, having documented her life on the island of Grenada on Instagram and TikTok, with videos showing her dancing around palm trees and drinking at a boat party. Gabrielle Varley, 25, (pictured) was found dead with bruises on her face, an inquest has heard  Ms Varley had recently returned from the Caribbean, having documented her life on the island of Grenada on Instagram and TikTok In one video from August 2024, she wrote: 'I was sad in the UK [...] so I moved to a Caribbean island alone', adding: 'Welcome back Grenada!' Her sister, Charlotte Varley, gave a statement saying that the last time she spoke to her she reported not having slept or eaten, and had been suffering from cramps. She said she was worried about her sister, who she described as having a 'problem' with alcohol and was at the time drinking between two and three bottles of vodka a day. 'Gabby had a big problem with alcohol which got worse in 2024, she was going through two to three big bottles of vodka per day,' she said. 'Alcohol had been an issue and was getting worse. She was drinking it straight... at any time of the day.' She said she began to ring around friends, and contacted the local hospital to locate her sister to no avail. On September 25, friend Byron North attended her home address, knocked on the door and found there was no answer. After looking through the window he saw Ms Varley lying on the ground and entered through a downstairs window. Mr North attempted CPR and called 999, but she was declared dead at the scene by paramedics. Medics initially raised concerns about the appearance of facial bruising, but police said there was no evidence of anyone else having been with her. A toxicology report found Ms Varley's blood contained levels of paracetamol consistent with toxicity, and it was observed that there was necrotic tissue in the liver. However, it was not possible to conclude whether the paracetamol had contributed to her death, nor whether the liver damage had occurred before she died or afterwards. Ms Varley was drinking up to three bottles of vodka a day before her death, the inquest was told The court also heard that Ms Varley suffered from epilepsy, and had a history of anxiety. In a written statement read out in court, Ms Varley's GP, Dr David Hopkins, said she had a background history of alcohol use, had a series of toxic relationships and a limited social network. Coroner Ms Archer said that Ms Varley lived a 'solitary' life and that her epilepsy diagnosis was exacerbated by regular drug and alcohol use. She noted evidence from Ms Varley's GP that there is a risk of sudden death associated with the use of alcohol among epilepsy patients, but could not draw a link between the two in this case. Ultimately the coroner found that the cause of Ms Varley's death could not be ascertained, and recorded a narrative conclusion. She said: 'The deceased, who had a diagnosis of epilepsy, died on 25th September 2024 at her home address. 'At post-mortem examination, a toxic level of paracetamol was identified in her system. 'However, it was not possible to determine whether her death was caused by a paracetamol overdose or by an epileptic seizure. 'It is likely that any seizure activity may have been exacerbated by her chronic use of alcohol.' No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. 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