Model Jeff Thomas ‘died after falling off tower while taking a SELFIE,’ agent claims
Tragic male model agent Jeff Thomas has suggested he may have fallen to his death while taking a selfie, after clothesline brother said his brother had died due to addiction and mental health issues.
Luli Batista of The Sovereign Talent Group told DailyMail.com she was so shocked by the sudden death of Daniels, 35, in her Miami high-rise on March 8 that she believes it may have been a tragic accident.
‘I just can’t believe it’s true that he intentionally did this. It is possible that she fell while she was taking a selfie,” she said.
Batista said the last time they spoke was Tuesday, less than 24 hours before her shocking death, the pair had been exchanging text messages and joking about an upcoming audition.
They had scheduled a phone call on Friday to catch up. She couldn’t wait to tell me about her move to Miami. He seemed excited and proud of himself. He was happy, motivated and excited for the next step of him just loving life.’
She added: ‘I’m so stunned. He was such a beautiful and sweet boy.
A topless Thomas standing in his underwear in front of his bathroom mirror taking a selfie weeks before his tragic passing.
Another photo of Thomas making a face while taking a selfie in front of a mirror wrapped in a towel
Batista’s claim runs counter to a Facebook post shared by Thomas’s brother, Skylar Ray Thomas, which implied the death was the result of suicide after he battled addiction and mental health issues.
Thomas’s cousin, Meghan Rae, disputed the suicide claim to DailyMail.com earlier this week, although police are currently working on the assumption that Thomas took his own life.
Skylar wrote: ‘Dear friends and family,
“It is with a heavy heart that we announce the passing of my brother, Jeff, on Wednesday, March 8.
‘As you have followed through the years, Jeff traveled the world and lived life to the fullest. What you may not know is that Jeff battled addiction and mental health issues, which ultimately led to his tragic passing.
The luxurious high-rise building from which Thomas reportedly fell on March 8 in the Brickell Avenue neighborhood of Miami. The 57-story oceanfront condominium is located on the bay with stunning views of the Miami River and is very close to downtown Miami.
Further details about the drugs Jeff had been using and the mental health issues he had been struggling with were kept private.
The post went on to describe Jeff’s struggle as “difficult” but paid tribute to his “sense of humor, love of music, art and family.”
Skylar urged anyone else struggling with similar issues to seek help.
Thomas took this selfie a few days before his untimely death. In the caption, he wrote: “There’s a man out there looking for everything you’re giving to a man who isn’t man enough to appreciate it.”
Thomas, sitting in a hot tub with his head tilted back and arms outstretched, posted this selfie at 11:43 a.m. on March 8, hours before his shocking passing. Caption reads: ‘A cold plunge a day, keeps the doctor away’, #cold fall #wellness #mentalhealth
Thomas died on March 8, after being found dead in the back of his apartment complex. Police are investigating his death as a possible suicide, but Jeff’s cousin Meghan Rae insisted to DailyMail.com that she did not take her own life.
She said: ‘This was not a suicide. To report otherwise is a complete disregard to her character and who she was,” she said.
‘The information that is published is false and defamatory. Our family will not comment further. Please respect our privacy and his memory during this difficult time.”
Thomas, dressed casually in a matching blue tracksuit, takes a selfie while sitting in what appears to be some sort of spa or doctor’s office.
Thomas pictured with his brother Skylar Ray (center)
A compelling post Skylar wrote after the tragic passing of her brother
Jeff was a successful model with 120,000 followers on Instagram, where he regularly posted photos of his stunning physique in a variety of envy-inducing locations.
He lived in a 57-story tower on Miami’s Brickell Avenue, located near the trendy area of downtown Miami.
Thomas’ agent said his late client was a humble man who didn’t take himself too seriously and had a great sense of humor.
Batista said Thomas planned to tell him when they talked on the phone about the next chapter in his life. ‘I had started a new business, although I didn’t know what it was yet.’
During their text message exchange before his death, she said they were laughing.
“We were talking about a fun audition I had for him that involved some kind of petty fight. We laughed about it and he told me that he is a comedian at heart, she said.
I am stunned. I don’t even know how to react.