ST. GEORGE’S, Grenada, CMC – Police Commissioner Don McKenzie, Monday raised the possibility that the owners of a catamaran hijacked last week in local waters may be dead, as the three main suspects appeared in a court in St. Vincent and the Grenadines on immigration charges.
Speaking at a news conference, McKenzie provided no conclusive proof that the bodies of Ralph Hendry and Kathy Brandel had been disposed of in the waters between the two Caribbean Community (CARICCOM) countries.
“Information suggests that while traveling between Grenada and St Vincent, they disposed of the occupants,” McKenzie told reporters, adding that “we have nothing conclusive to say that the individuals are dead.
“We still hold out hope that in spite (of) what might be a low probability, they would turn up alive somewhere,” the top cop said.
The three suspects, Ron Mitchell, 30, Trevon Robertson, 25, and Atiba Stanislaus, 23, of Paradise, St. Andrew, Grenada, pleaded guilty in a Magistrate’s Court in Kingstown on Monday to charges that on February 21, at Petit Bordel, being a prohibited immigrant, entered the island by boat without a passport.
They were also charged with entering the state other than at a port of entry, entering the state by boat and disembarking without the consent of an immigration officer, and knowingly and wilfully allowing themselves to be landed as a prohibited immigrant.
The men, who appeared before Senior Magistrate Colin John, had fled to St. Vincent and the Grenadines after escaping prison in their home country.
They have been remanded into custody and will return to court within a week.
McKenzie told reporters he was “quite limited” with what he could share with the public regarding the case because the ongoing investigation and Grenadian authorities still didn’t have much information.
“The information I possess is limited and can be considered second-hand as I have had minimal discussions with my Vincentian counterpart regarding the investigation details,” McKenzie said.
On Saturday, two of the couple’s relatives stood on the dock at the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Coast Guard Service Calliaqua Base, where the yacht is docked, as investigators continued their probe.
The relatives of the missing couple are said to have helped detectives to identify some of the missing couple’s items.
The yacht was allegedly stolen in Grenada on February 19 and sailed to St. Vincent overnight, allegedly by the three escaped prisoners.
Caribbean Safety and Security Net (CSSN), which collects and disseminates information relating to crimes against yachts in the Caribbean, reported that a cruising catamaran that had been anchored off Grand Anse, Grenada, was found poorly anchored with a shredded jib off the coast of Wallilabou on the west coast of St. Vincent last Tuesday.
“Upon inspection, it was found that the yacht had been ransacked, and it was apparent a violent act had taken place. Copious amounts of blood were found in the master stateroom, and the two owners were missing,” CSSN reported.
The yacht’s dinghy was also missing but was later recovered. However, passports on the vessel allowed authorities to contact the victims’ emergency contact.
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