A former model and socialite from California, who was convicted for plotting to have her husband murdered, has died by suicide, authorities have confirmed.
A Tragic End in Little Italy
Tatyana Remley, 44, died from a gunshot wound to the head outside the Princess Pub & Grille in San Diego's Little Italy neighbourhood on the evening of December 18. The San Diego County Medical Examiner's Office ruled her death a suicide. Police recovered a firearm at the scene where she was pronounced dead at 9:02 pm.
Her estranged husband, tech entrepreneur Mark Remley, told the Daily Mail that she had called him via FaceTime from the bar's bathroom around 7 pm that night. He said she complained about a man she was with. "I told her to just leave," a distraught Mark recounted. "I told her, 'Do you have this, because I can send help if you need it.' She answered, 'No, I got this.' She hung up and that was our last conversation."
A Tumultuous Marriage and a Murder Plot
The couple's 15-year marriage, which began in March 2011, was marked by luxury, scandal, and ultimately, a deadly conspiracy. They first gained notoriety in 2012 for the spectacular collapse of Valitar, a multimillion-dollar equestrian acrobatics show at the Del Mar Fairgrounds that left performers unpaid after just a handful of performances.
Their lavish lifestyle, documented on social media and even featured on a Showtime series about a swinger's club, began to unravel. Mark claimed he wanted to "slow down," while Tatyana "got bored" and refused to work. The marriage deteriorated, and Tatyana filed for divorce on July 2, 2023.
Just weeks later, the situation turned criminal. In August 2023, Tatyana Remley was arrested and charged with solicitation of murder after allegedly asking a mutual friend to find a hitman to kill Mark. The San Diego Sheriff's Department set up a sting operation using an undercover detective posing as a hitman, meeting her at a Starbucks. She was also charged with firearms offences.
She later pleaded guilty and was sentenced to three years and eight months, serving only a year before her release in January. However, she was arrested again in September on arson charges for allegedly trying to burn down the $6 million Del Mar mansion they once shared. She was due back in court in March 2026.
Aftermath and Unanswered Questions
Mark Remley expressed shock and grief over his estranged wife's death, stating he "did not see this coming." He revealed they were close to a divorce settlement and that, since her release, Tatyana had expressed a desire to reconcile and claimed she still loved him.
In a taped deposition for the divorce, she had bizarrely denied wanting to hire a hitman, suggesting the gun she brought to the meeting was for a suicide-by-cop scenario. Mark has been in contact with Tatyana's two ex-husbands—Seattle biotech tycoon Ken Woolcott and San Diego developer Greg Agee—regarding her remains, as they are the fathers of her two children.
He also voiced anger at the justice system, questioning how a convicted felon facing fresh arson charges was allowed to remain free. "I just know she would be alive if this DA and this judge didn't allow her to get out without bail," he said. "She was mentally ill and definitely should not have been out of that jail."
If you or someone you know is struggling, confidential support is available 24/7 from the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline in the US by calling or texting 988.
