Evidence in S.F. Hotel Suite Links Suicide With Housekeeper Assault

Update, 4 p.m. Tuesday:
A San Francisco Marriott Marquis housekeeper was discovered in a penthouse suite of the hotel at Fourth and Mission streets Sunday suffering life-threatening injuries, police confirmed Tuesday, and there appears to be a link between the assault and a suicide at the hotel earlier that day.

"Evidence was located at the scene of the assault that links the assault and the suicide together," SFPD spokeswoman Officer Grace Gatpandan said. She said she is not allowed to elaborate on the nature of the evidence.

The city's medical examiner identified the deceased guest Monday as Alexander Damhuis, 26, of Brooklyn, New York.

Damhuis was an employee of the Cardiovascular Research Foundation, according to his online profile and news reports. The foundation is hosting a medical convention in San Francisco this week. His mother, Irma Damhuis, is the foundation's director of external relations and the main press contact for the conference.

Gatpandan said SFPD's special victims unit is investigating the assault, and no suspects are believed to be at large. The housekeeper, whose name KQED is not publishing at this time, was still listed in critical condition at San Francisco General Hospital Tuesday afternoon.

Original Post Monday, Oct. 12:

A housekeeper working at the San Francisco Marriott Marquis hotel suffered critical injuries Sunday when she was brutally attacked during her shift, several sources confirmed to KQED Monday.

The woman didn't report for the end of her shift at the hotel, located at Fourth and Mission streets. She was discovered unable to move or call for help.

"We did have an incident involving one of our hotel employees," Marriott Marquis General Manager Chuck Pacioni said in an interview Monday. He said police are investigating and declined to give any details about the incident. "We've had people with the family as of last night, and we're continuing to support them."

The San Francisco Police Department did not return repeated requests for information about the incident.

A San Francisco General Hospital administrator confirmed that a woman with the assault victim's name is in the intensive care unit and is listed in critical condition. Unite Here Local 2, a labor union that represents housekeepers and other hotel workers at the Marriott Marquis, confirmed the woman was hospitalized at San Francisco General.

A representative for the union confirmed that a member was injured at work but declined to give details of the incident for fear of compromising the police investigation.

Hotel general manager Pacioni confirmed that a hotel guest also died at the Marriott Marquis on Sunday. He said suicide is suspected.

"That's a police matter, and I can't comment any further," Pacioni said.

The San Francisco Medical Examiner's Office identified the deceased guest as Alexander Damhuis, 26, of Brooklyn, New York.