(CNN) — An American couple who were allegedly kidnapped by escaped prisoners were thrown overboard while on their yacht in Grenada last week, Royal Grenada Police Commissioner Don McKenzie said during a press conference Monday.
The couple is “presumed dead,” according to a separate statement Monday from Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines police.
According to that statement, the three suspects, who allegedly hijacked the yacht to St. Vincent escaped from prison in Grenada before heading to the Grenadines, committing “several criminal acts including bodily harm to a couple” while on the voyage. When authorities eventually recovered the yacht, the scene was “consistent with signs of violence,” police said.
“Several items were scattered on deck and in the cabin and a red substance that looked like blood was found on board. “No bodies were found on the yacht,” the statement added.
Information suggests the fugitives “disposed of occupants” while traveling about 128 km between Grenada and St. Vincent, McKenzie told a news conference.
However, police said they could not confirm the current condition or whereabouts of the couple, Cathy Brandel and Ralph Hendry. Although “less likely,” he hopes “they’ll come alive somewhere,” McKenzie said.
The grim updates come as police in the Caribbean are investigating the disappearance of an American couple and bracing for the possibility that they are “not with us” after violent scenes suggest they may have been murdered.
A Virginia couple, known through their yacht club, were living the dream of sailing the Caribbean on their sailboat, Simplicity. The boat was found abandoned off the coast of St. Vincent on Wednesday and the couple were nowhere to be found, according to the club, the Salty Dog Sailing Association.
Police said the three inmates escaped from custody in Granada on Sunday, February 18, and were recaptured three days later. Evidence suggests the fugitives hijacked the yacht and killed its two American occupants in St. George while fleeing to St. Vincent and the Grenadines, the Royal Grenada Police Force said in a statement.
Police said they are in contact with the United States representative in Grenada. After the seizure, a five-member team was sent from Grenada to cooperate with authorities in St. Vincent, “for a full and thorough investigation,” the commissioner said.
McKenzie said the possibility of bribery or collusion between the police and the three fugitives would be investigated. An investigation is underway to see if the leak was a “system failure” or “a case of someone slipping away.”
Kidnapping suspects: Ron Mitchell, 30; Trayvon Robertson, 19; and Abita Stanislaus, 25, were cooperating with investigators, Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force Superintendent Junior O. Simmons said. Before fleeing, the three were charged on suspicion of robbery with violence and Michel was facing other charges including rape and indecent assault, the Royal Granada Police Force said.
According to Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police, the suspects appeared before a St. Vincent judge on Monday on immigration-related charges, where they all pleaded guilty.
Police said searches and investigations related to the couple will continue.
The US State Department said on Friday that it was “aware of these reports involving US citizens. We are monitoring the situation and seeking additional information.”
“It was his home,” says his son
Brandel’s son, Nick Burrow, said he still hopes the couple will be found on the Caribbean island.
“The ship itself was ransacked and everything was strewn about the cabin, so clearly there was some sort of altercation on the ship,” Burrow told CNN on Sunday. “We are concerned for their overall safety as it appears they may have been injured.”
Brandel turned 71 on Wednesday, the day the abandoned ship was discovered, Burrow said. March 2 would have been Ralph’s 67th birthday, his son Brian Hendry told CNN.
Burrow said his mother and stepfather were veteran sailors who had been planning the trip (their first Caribbean cruise) for years.
“They were very careful to be safe the whole time,” Burrow said. “Wherever they went, everything they did, safety was their main concern. “So I think this unfortunate accident came out of nowhere for them.”
The couple sold their home and bought Simplicity years ago, starting a glamorous life on the water, he said.
“It was his home. Everything they had, everything they owned, was in the boat. “That was his life,” he said. “Kathy worked all her life and then retired. Ralph worked in financial services and continued to work from boats. But what they actually did… choose a lifestyle that most of us never imagined or could achieve. And they loved every minute, they saw many parts of the world and lived life with joy and love.
Abandoned boat found by “Good Samaritan”.
The Salty Dog Sailing Association said it was contacted by a boater on Wednesday who had anchored and abandoned the Simplicity off the south coast of St Vincent.
“The Good Samaritans boarded the vessel and noted that the owners, Ralph Hendry and Kathy Brandel, were not aboard and found evidence of apparent violence,” the group said. The man also contacted the coast guard, which notified St. Vincent police, the association said.
Grenada police said the fugitives were recaptured the same day by the Royal Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force.
Yacht club president Ben Osborne offered his support to the families and said the violence was unprecedented.
“This is a very random incident and authorities have not yet confirmed the details, but it appears to be a tragic incident – our hopes and prayers are with Ralph and Kathy and the family who love them,” Osborne said in a statement. was “In all my years of sailing in the Caribbean, I’ve never heard of anything like this.”
Experienced sailors get great support
News of Brandel and Hendry’s disappearances has opened an outpouring of support from loved ones, church friends and members of the boating community who have stepped up to help, their families said.
“We would like to reach out to the entire cruise community to express our gratitude to everyone who worked to gather information from eyewitnesses and provide search and rescue assistance. It means a lot to us that so many people cared about Ralph and Cathy as friends and fellow cruisers, that they were willing to stop and help in any way they could,” Nick Burrow and Brian Hendry said in a statement shared by the yacht club.
They also asked that boaters not connected to the official investigation cease their search efforts.
“We believe the only way this situation could get any worse is if someone is injured or in danger while attempting the search,” the statement read.
The couple also had close ties to their local Christian community, and a prayer service was held for them on Saturday, Burrow said.
A GoFundMe campaign has been set up in Nick Burrow’s name to help fund the recovery of the couple’s yacht and belongings, funeral expenses and assistance.
CNN’s Sharif Paget, Abel Alvarado and Chris Boyette contributed to this report.
