55-Year-Old Porn Star Dies Likely Of COVID-19 Complications, Relatives Claim

A porn star from Mexico died of complications possibly connected to COVID-19, her relatives and friends told local media Tuesday.

Alicio Rio, the AVN Hall of Fame performer, died Jan. 17 from unknown complications. Rio's former husband and retired performer, Steve Houston, told AVN (Adult Video News) he learned of his ex-wife's death after her niece contacted him. The niece said the 55-year-old adult film star was found unresponsive inside her home.

"At this point, I can't really tell you what the cause of death was," Houston said. "They did bring up COVID. I'm really waiting to hear what the coroner's office comes up with. We'll just leave it that she passed peacefully and quietly at home."

Meanwhile, one of Rio's relatives reportedly posted on Facebook: "it was ultimately a bout with Covid that cut her life shorter than we would have hoped and expected," AVN reported.

In a tribute, Houston said, “She was loved by everybody. She was the real deal for the industry,” Zona De Prensa RD reported [Google Translate showed].

An autopsy report would confirm the exact cause of death. It remains unclear when she contracted the virus. Other details of her death also remain unclear.

Houston said he first met Rio in the summer of 1980 at a skating rink. They got married in 1986 and later split in 1998.

"It was an all-night summer skating rink—they would do it once a year where we were from ... we're both from L.A.," he said. "And in 1986 we got married, and we would be married all the way up until 1998."

Rio entered the adult film industry in 1991, and was inducted into the AVN Hall of Fame in 2004. She was probably best known for starring in the adult movies "Borderline," "Reflections of Rio" and "Fantasies of Alicia."

"We had an amazing adventure in the industry," Houston told local media. "She was loved by everybody. She was the real deal for the industry."

Mexico recorded 44,902 more infections Tuesday, pushing the overall number of cases to 47 million. The country posted 475 more COVID-19 fatalities, the highest daily death toll since early October, bringing the total since the pandemic began to 303,776.