Three adult industry performers have died in separate incidents, with details emerging from Hong Kong, California, and Rio de Janeiro. Crystal Sun was found dead in a Hong Kong hotel in 2009, August Ames died by suicide in California in 2017, and Anna Beatriz Pereira Alves died after falling from a hotel balcony in Rio de Janeiro in January 2025.

Crystal Sun Found Dead in Hong Kong Hotel

Crystal Sun, a China-born porn actress, was discovered dead in a Hong Kong hotel on a Friday in February 2009. Sun, 36, was found hanging in the bathroom of her hotel room by rescue personnel. A hotel worker had initially found a note on the bathroom door stating, 'Someone hanged herself'.

According to Apple Daily, Sun left a suicide note indicating she had debts. Sources informed the newspaper that Sun was a victim of the financial meltdown at the time. Sun, a native of China’s Shandong province, had portrayed the late porn star Pauline Chan in a biopic, a role attributed to her strong resemblance to Chan. Pauline Chan died by suicide in Shanghai in 2003 at age 29.

Sun had a minor role in the 1996 film Comrades, Almost A Love Story, which featured actors Leon Lai and Maggie Cheung. She was compelled to withdraw from the 1999 Miss Asia contest after explicit photographs of her were published in the media.

August Ames Dies by Suicide in California

Mercedes Grabowski, known professionally as August Ames, died by suicide on December 5, 2017, at the age of 23 in Camarillo, California. Ames, a Canadian pornographic actress, was born on August 23, 1994, in Antigonish, Nova Scotia. Her career as a pornographic actress commenced in 2013 when she was 19 years old. She appeared in over 100 films, including one non-pornographic film in 2016, and received nominations for several AVN Awards.

Ames had a self-disclosed history of sexual abuse and mental illness. Her death followed a social media backlash concerning a tweet she posted, which some perceived as homophobic. Ames grew up in Petawawa, Ontario, and later resided in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Both of her parents served in the army, and she spent her early years as a military child, including time living near Canadian Forces Base Petawawa.

Ames alleged that she was routinely sexually abused by her paternal grandfather as a child. She stated that her father did not believe her, leading to her being sent to a group home at age 12. She also spoke of being enticed to strip by an adult male as a young teenager in exchange for drugs. Prior to her adult film career, Ames studied culinary arts for a year after high school and worked as a nanny, an animal-assisted aide, and a horseback trainer. She was married to Kevin Moore.

Anna Beatriz Pereira Alves Falls from Rio Hotel Balcony

Anna Beatriz Pereira Alves, known online as Anna Polly, died after falling from a hotel balcony in Rio de Janeiro on January 31, 2025. Alves, an OnlyFans creator, was found in a courtyard at the four-star Mont Blanc Apart Hotel. At the time of her death, Alves, 27, was reportedly filming a threesome scene with two male porn stars for an online adult content site.

The two men who were with Alves in the hotel room are currently under investigation by police regarding her death. They reportedly provided conflicting accounts of the incident but were released after questioning. Footage from the scene showed a police officer standing over a body, believed to be Alves, covered by a blood-stained sheet.

The Baixada Fluminense Homicide Unit is conducting a thorough investigation, analyzing hotel CCTV images and questioning staff. Alves’ mobile phone is also being examined. A spokesman for the unit stated that they are not ruling out any possibility, from an accident to a potential crime. The results of the post-mortem have not yet been published, and it is unclear if drugs were present in Alves' system or if there was any indication of sexual violence.

Key Facts

  • Crystal Sun, 36, was found dead by hanging in a Hong Kong hotel bathroom in February 2009, leaving a suicide note citing debts.
  • August Ames, 23, died by suicide in Camarillo, California, on December 5, 2017, following social media backlash.
  • Anna Beatriz Pereira Alves, 27, died on January 31, 2025, after falling from a hotel balcony in Rio de Janeiro while filming.
  • Two male porn stars present with Alves are being investigated by police.
  • Sun had previously played Pauline Chan in a biopic and had a role in the 1996 film Comrades, Almost A Love Story.
  • Ames had a self-disclosed history of sexual abuse and mental illness.