A Virginia couple who were enjoying their retirement cruising the Caribbean on their yacht are feared dead after three escaped convicts hijacked their boat.
Ralph Hendry and Kathy Blundell were anchored in the St. George’s area of Grenada on Sunday. Three fugitives attacked them and stole a yacht called Simplicity, which authorities say they frequent the area every winter. This vessel is a catamaran, a type of sailing yacht with two hulls.
The prisoners, aged 30, 19 and 20, were being held on suspicion of violent robbery, and the oldest prisoner was also being held on suspicion of three counts of attempted rape.
Ralph Hendry and Kathy Blundell are feared dead after their yacht was found abandoned and looted in the Caribbean. (GoFundMe)
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The Royal Grenada Police Force (RGPF) said three prisoners were found near another Caribbean island on Wednesday, but there was no sign of the couple.
Investigators say the boat was ransacked and violence took place.
“The RGPF is currently working to gather clues that suggest the two occupants of the yacht may have died in the process,” police said in a Facebook post on Thursday. “It is believed that the yacht’s occupants were American citizens.”
A GoFundMe post by Jessica Mouse, a close friend of one of the couple’s sons, said the couple had died.
“It is with deep sadness and heavy hearts that we share the devastating news of the senseless act of violence that tragically claimed the lives of Ralph Hendry and Kathy Blundell. Their lives ended in an unimaginable tragedy. …off the coast of Grand Anse” Grenada Beach. ”
But Hendry’s sister, Suellen Desmarais, told FOX 5 she continues to believe they are alive and is trying to figure out what happened.
“Why would you assume someone is dead when there is no body or DNA? I want to be positive. I want to believe that he is alive,” Desmarais said, detailing the heartbreaking incident. .
The couple was visiting the port of St. George in Grenada. (Robert Nickelsburg/Getty Images)
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“On Sunday, they went into town around 3 p.m. because someone on another boat saw them going into town. Sometimes you knew they were there because you were always checking to see who was around,’ and when the sailor woke up in the morning they were gone,” Desmarais said. Ta.
The RGPF announced that it had detained three prisoners. Ron Mitchell, 30-year-old sailor. 19-year-old unemployed Trevon Robertson and 20-year-old farmer Abita Stanislaus. Police said they were all local residents of Paradise, Grenada, and had been held captive since December.
Mauss wrote that the couple were experienced adventurers who spent their retirement years sailing on the Simplicity during the winters and traveling to New England in the summers.
Suspects in connection with the couple’s disappearance have been arrested. (RSVG Police, via Facebook)
Nicole Parker, a former FBI special agent and Fox News contributor, said she fears the worst for the couple.
“My suspicion is that the suspects forced them to go where they wanted to go, possibly had a violent exchange, killed them, threw them overboard, and just left,” Parker said. he told Fox News Digital.
He said the FBI is often called to other countries to assist in investigations upon request, and that suspects could be prosecuted even if the couple’s bodies were never recovered. It is unclear whether the FBI was requested to investigate the incident.
“We need the support of the FBI, including our Evidence Response Team, to bring justice to those who may have harmed or killed American citizens,” said Parker, who has investigated violent crimes involving American citizens on the high seas. I hope it was,” he said.
He said American tourists must remain vigilant when visiting foreign countries.
“During the holidays, we sometimes let our guard down. We have to be conscious and vigilant at all times, because unfortunately there are people out there who don’t respect human life.”
“Never live in fear, but follow your intuition and keep your head on track.”
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Hendry and Blundell were part of a sailing association called the Salty Dogs. Chairman Rob Osborne said cases like this were rare in Grenada. He said he received a message from someone who witnessed the yacht being abandoned and alerted local authorities.
“This is a tragedy that shakes our community,” Osborn told FOX 5. He also lives on the sea.
“There are literally hundreds of people doing what I do in the winter. I just want everyone to know that this is extremely rare.” is “no”. These are friendly islands. “Whether you’re in New York City, Chicago, or here, sometimes bad things happen. This is terrible.”
The map pinpoints Grenada in the Caribbean, where the couple is feared to have died. (Google Maps)
