'Murdered' Houston influencer Alexis Sharkey, 26, was an executive director in a beauty 'pyramid scheme' whose products 'made users' hair fall out'

The Houston influencer whose naked body was found dumped on the side of the road worked for a beauty company accused of being a pyramid scheme in a lawsuit. 

Alexis Sharkey, 26, was found 'with no visible signs of injury' by a city worker at the side of a road in Houston on November 28, less than 24 hours after she went missing. 

Her death remains a mystery with Texas officials saying a preliminary autopsy did not rule out foul play. There have been no arrests in connection to her death and her cause of death is yet to be determined.

Now friends say the influencer, who had thousands of followers on Instagram, worked for hair and beauty brand Monat, a Florida based company founded in 2014 as a multi-level marketing scheme that sells shampoos, conditioners and creams.     

Friend Brittney Pember told Khou they met working for Monat. She said: 'She worked her butt off to get to where she was and to see such success in a person who is just a couple years older than me, was absolutely incredible.'

Lauren Norling-Martin also works for Monat. She said: 'She's grown to be such a good friend to me. And I just can't believe she's gone. Without a doubt in my mind, foul play was involved, and this was a murder.' 

Friends say Alexis Sharkey, who had thousands of followers on Instagram, worked for hair and beauty brand Monat, a Florida based company founded in 2014 as a multi-level marketing scheme. She is pictured with a check from the company

Alexis described herself as a mentor for the company. She shared pictures and video using their products, at company events and posing with a giant check of her earnings

Monat was accused of operating as a pyramid scheme by lawsuit filed in 2018

Multi-level marketing schemes like Monat are 'akin to pyramid schemes', The Guardian reported in 2019. 

They often have little to do with selling products to customers and everything to do with keeping a stream of new recruits – and their money – flowing into the business. 

Most of these companies make their revenue from newly recruited salespeople purchasing expensive products (with the intent to resell) when they join the scheme. But the majority of individuals struggle to make any sales and end up losing money.  

Monat was accused of operating as a pyramid scheme by lawsuit filed in 2018, KTNV reports. It has also faced claims that those using the products experienced hair loss, balding and itching.

A spokesperson for the company told DailyMail.com: 'Alexis Sharkey was a warm, wonderful, and beloved, independent MONAT market partner. We are saddened by her tragic death and our thoughts are with her family and friends who loved her. Because this matter involves a police investigation, we are not going to say anything further. 

'To be clear, we are a business approaching a billion dollars in sales with more than 2 million satisfied customers. We have more than 400,000 independent contractors who sell the most safe and effective premium hair care, skin care and wellness products throughout 5 markets worldwide by the direct selling channel.

'Furthermore, each year we spend hundreds of thousands of dollars – over a million now in total -- to conduct thousands of tests to ensure our products are safe and effective. We continue to engage third-party scientific testing laboratories to validate the safety and effectiveness of our products. In each case the findings are conclusive -- our products are safe and effective for their intended purpose.' 

Alexis Sharkey was found 'with no visible signs of injury' by city workers in Houston on Saturday, less than 24 hours after she went missing

Her death remains a mystery with Texas officials saying a preliminary autopsy did not rule out foul play. The spotlight is very much being shone on her personal life with friends saying she feared for her life and was divorcing her husband of a year Tom, 49 (pictured together)

In September the company was forced to sign an agreement promising to not conduct misleading sales and marketing practices. 

In a statement to Fox Business at that time Monat said: 'We have been working closely with the Florida Attorney General's office to address a number of matters related to customer relations and our rapid growth since 2017.

'After a two-year process, we are pleased this matter has come to a close with no findings of wrongdoing.'   

Alexis described herself as a mentor for the company. She shared pictures and video using their products, at company events and posing with a giant check of her earnings. 

Her sister Tobi Robinault told ABC13: 'She was a smart, savvy, successful businesswoman. That's how I want everyone to remember her.' 

A photo, believed to be the last known image of Alexis, right, shows her smiling with friends

Robinault said her friends last heard from her at 6pm; since then her calls went to voicemail

Investigators are looking in to her personal life, with friends saying she feared for her life and was divorcing her husband of a year Tom, 49.

Tom has denied those claims, saying his wife was 'stressed and unhappy', while Sharkey's mom said she is convinced her daughter was murdered.

Friends said she confided in them on a recent trip to Mexico that she feared for her life. It is not known why.  

Houston police have been gathering video evidence from the area where the 26-year-old's body was found as they try to piece together the events leading up to her death.