U.S. couple likely dead after yacht hijacked by fugitives in Caribbean

globalnews.ca:

Authorities in Grenada on Monday said an American couple who vanished last week after their yacht was allegedly hijacked by fugitives in the Caribbean were likely killed and thrown overboard.

During a press conference Monday, the country’s police force said officers are still searching for Kathy Brendle, 71, and Ralph Hendry, 66, though their effort does not seem hopeful.

Brendle and Hendry were last seen a week ago near a beach in Grenada. The married couple from North Virginia had planned to spend the winter months living on their catamaran in the Caribbean, according to family members.

Don McKenzie, the police commissioner of the Royal Grenada Police Force, said the couple’s yacht, called “Simplicity,” was hijacked by three escaped prisoners from the South Saint George Police Station.

The three men — identified as Ron Mitchell, 30, Trevon Robertson, 19, and Abita Stanislaus, 25 — escaped on Feb. 18, but were arrested again three days later.

McKenzie said information gathered by police suggests that the fugitives “disposed” of the American couple while travelling to nearby St. Vincent from Grenada on the stolen vessel.

Police have not found any bodies. The Simplicity was discovered abandoned on a St. Vincent beach on Wednesday, the same day as the arrests.

The Salty Dawg Sailing Association, a non-profit of which Brendle and Hendry are members, was among the first to identify the American couple. A good Samaritan reportedly contacted the organization after they found the Simplicity abandoned on the south coast of St. Vincent, with Salty Dawg’s flag still flying onboard.

The good Samaritan, a cruising skipper, “found evidence of apparent violence” onboard the catamaran and called police.

“Kathy Brandel and Ralph Hendry