Pilar Victoria
Puerto Rican Pilar Victoria (R) spikes the ball against Mexico's Karina Flores (L) and Andrea Rangel (C) during a Women's volleyball match for the bronze medal during the 2018 Central American and Caribbean Games (CAC), in Barranquilla, Colombia, on July 25, 2018. (Photo by LUIS ACOSTA / AFP) (Photo credit should read LUIS ACOSTA/AFP via Getty Images) Photo credit should read LUIS ACOSTA/AFP via Getty Images

Pilar Victoria, 28, was tragically found dead in her Turkish apartment last week. A preliminary autopsy determined that she died of natural causes. The Puerto Rican Volleyball Federation announced that her remains will be repatriated to Puerto Rico for Christian burial.


Victoria, who had recently signed with the Turkish club Nilufer Belediyespor, was honored at a service held by the team. The athlete, daughter of former athletes Pilar Lopez and Luis Ernesto Victoria, had been in Turkey for just three weeks after a successful period in the French volleyball league.


The discovery of her body came after her teammates noticed her absence from training, a departure from her usual disciplined routine. Police, upon entering his apartment, found no evidence of violence or robbery, leaving the circumstances of his death largely unexplained.


Victoria's move to the Turkish league was expected to be a major step in his international career, as it would be his fifth team abroad.