Sabina Khorramdel, a talented artist, had her travels and creative pursuits funded by Thomas Gannon, the owner of a tile company in Pennsylvania. Tragically, after Sabina was found murdered, authorities discovered Gannon’s body at his home in Pennsylvania. Sabina had ventured out on her own from her homeland as a teenager and eventually carved out a life for herself as an artist in New York City. She was on the verge of securing an overseas residency but needed to raise funds first. On a crowdfunding site where she sought support for her trip, Gannon wrote about her incredible talent, saying that soon the world would recognize it. He generously contributed $1,000—her largest donation—and added a heartfelt “I love you.”
On October 28th, Ms. Khorramdel was discovered dead in an upscale guest room at Shou Sugi Ban House in the Hamptons—a place known for its serene atmosphere and commitment to openness and community values—where rooms cost nearly $1,500 per night. Suffolk County police confirmed she had been murdered but didn’t share specifics about what happened. By Wednesday following her death, Mr. Gannon was also gone; he took his own life at his home in Honesdale, PA., making him the prime suspect in her murder.
According to Elizabeth Phillips—Sabina’s mentor and former art professor—Gannon had been both Sabina’s boyfriend and benefactor since at least 2021. Phillips noted that Sabina may have been unaware of the potential risks associated with their relationship: Nobody expects something like this could happen, she said while recalling how she advised Sabina to be cautious.
The Shou Sugi Ban House is described on its website as a sanctuary fostering diverse perspectives and celebrating women’s strength alongside community wisdom. The property features striking elements like a large stone Buddha that greets guests at its entrance and 13 studios crafted from stone and reclaimed wood surrounded by beach grass. Visitors can enjoy wooden hinoki tubs or sleep on luxurious linens while savoring dishes created by Michelin-starred chefs.
In conversations with Phillips about their relationship dynamics, it became clear that Ms. Khorramdel and Mr. Gannon frequently traveled together between Pennsylvania and New York City—often staying at high-end hotels in trendy neighborhoods like the East Village—all arranged at Gannon’s expense upon Sabina’s request. Whenever she needed transportation after an art event or visiting friends in the city, it wasn’t uncommon for Phillips to see her reach out to him for an Uber ride from Honesdale.
Before long, they found themselves globetrotting, frequently visiting wellness retreats like yoga and meditation spots—trips that Mr. Gannon funded, according to Ms. Phillips. Ms. Khorramdel had developed a new artistic approach centered around meditation and deep listening, as she mentioned on her website, and their travels mirrored this philosophy. Ms. Phillips described Mr. Gannon as quiet and reserved, while Ms. Khorramdel was his lively counterpart. When they would come by to visit Ms. Phillips at her place in Sunnyside, Queens, he often sat in his car outside. After a few instances of this, the professor felt uneasy and insisted he come upstairs instead.
Ms. Khorramdel’s art served as a healing outlet, her mentor noted. She was the oldest of three daughters from a family that originally hails from Tajikistan; a friend shared this information in a statement about her life story. Due to civil war turmoil when she was just a toddler, her family moved to Turkmenistan; later on, an oppressive regime forced them to Crimea during her middle school years—details outlined in an online biography provided by Harvestworks, which awarded her an artistic fellowship.
Eventually returning to Tajikistan, she made the leap to New York City alone at 17 in 2009 with dreams of enrolling in a prestigious art school but faced financial struggles while living in Queens with very few contacts as she sought work and stability. After studying at Borough of Manhattan Community College, she continued her education at SUNY before marrying Franklin Rosas from Richmond Hill in Queens; she took his last name in 2021 according to court documents—but it’s unclear if they ever divorced since Mr. Rosas didn’t respond when contacted.
Her artistry evolved into something multidimensional—ranging from vibrant watercolors to performance art and sound installations—with much of it focusing on Central Asian women’s experiences. In 2023, she launched Ruy Journal—a magazine dedicated to promoting Central Asian art—and published a book featuring works by women artists from that region; these projects were partially funded by some of her romantic partners who also supported various aspects of her work according to Ms. Phillips.
However, unlike others she’d dated before him, Mr. Gannon exhibited an intensity that made Ms. Phillips uneasy for Ms. Khorramdel’s well-being—she even encouraged her student to apply for grants so she’d be less dependent on him financially since he owned Majestic Tile, Granite and Flooring back home but had shut it down recently.
Interestingly enough, Mr. Gannon had built Ms. Khorramdel a house back in Tajikistan—a fact she shared with Ms.Phillips—and although her online bio stated that she split time between New York City and Dushanbe (the capital), early last year she confided that breaking up with him was on the horizon.
It appeared he had devoted everything about himself just for her—to follow along wherever life took them together—but as Ms.Phillips warned: if boredom crept into their relationship it could become dangerous being with someone who solely existed for your support without having their own life pursuits too! She added thoughtfully: I didn’t see him being someone who would easily let go.