A Virginia woman was raped before she and her husband were murdered and thrown from their yacht into the ocean by a trio of escaped convicts, authorities say.
Kathleen Brandel and her husband Ralph Hendry were on the trip of a lifetime, sailing around the Caribbean, when their yacht was hijacked and they were murdered.
Ron Mitchell, Atiba Stanisclaus and Trevon Robertson, who had escaped from prison in Grenada, have been formally charged with their kidnapping and murder.
Now the police in Granada have confirmed that Stanisclaus is also accused of raping Brandel before her death.
The trio faced their first court appearance in St. George’s Magistrate’s Court in Grenada on Thursday and has also been charged with escaping lawful custody, burglary, robbery and kidnapping. They will next appear in court on March 27.
Ralph Hendry and Kathy Brandel (pictured) had been sailing around the Caribbean island and had docked near Saint George’s when their catamaran was taken on February 18. Police fear the couple may have been murdered by three men who escaped from a Grenada prison
Ron Mitchell, Trevon Robertson and Atiba Stanisclaus (pictured) have each been charged with two counts of capital murder over the deaths of Ralph Hendry and Kathleen Brandel.
It was initially unclear whether Stanisclaus’ rape charges were connected to the case, but police told DailyMail.com: ‘Atiba Stanisclaus was charged by the Grenadian police with one count of rape against Kathy Brandel.
“I believe he also faces another rape charge from a separate incident in Grenada.”
The victims’ bodies have not yet been recovered, but information suggests the suspects ‘disposed of the occupants’ while traveling between Grenada and St. Vincent, which is about 80 miles away.
The men had escaped from prison, where they were charged with entering the country by boat and leaving the country without the consent of an immigration officer, entering without a passport, entering a place other than an official port of entry and landing as a prohibited immigrant.
They were detained at South Saint George’s Police Station on the island when they fled and are believed to have killed the couple before traveling to St. Vincent.
Hendry and Brandel had been living on their yacht, Simplicity, since 2013 after they decided to sell their home and most of their possessions to buy a boat.
They spent most of their time stationed in Florida, but would travel to Rhode Island during hurricane season. This winter was the first time the couple sailed to the Caribbean.
Although Brandel ‘worked his whole life’ and has since retired, Brandel’s son Nick Buro said Hendry – who is in the finance industry – was ‘continuing to work from the boat’.
The couple, who were lifelong sailors and married for 27 years, have been able to travel to ‘many parts of the world’ because of their boating lifestyle and lived a ‘life of joy and love’.
The couple, who were lifelong sailors and married for 27 years, have been able to travel to ‘many parts of the world’ because of their boating lifestyle and lived a ‘life of joy and love’. In the picture together: Hendry and Brandel
Hendry and Brandel, (pictured), who are in their 60s, live on board the vessel, called ‘Simplicity’, and enjoyed a trip they had been planning for 12 years.
Bryan Hendry, Hendry’s son, revealed that his parents just ‘wanted to immerse themselves in different communities and share love and spread joy.’
Buro confirmed shortly after the incident that the boat had been ‘searched’ and it appeared to be a violent ‘altercation’
Buro previously shared that the family was ‘hopeful’ that his parents would be found, but said evidence on their boat indicates ‘they were probably injured’.
“The boat itself was ransacked and everything was strewn throughout the cabin, so clearly there was an altercation of some type that took place on the boat,” he told CNN, adding: “We’re doing our best to try to get answers.’
He revealed that the family was worried ‘there could be a possibility that they are not with us’, which has probably turned out to be true.
The couple had been sailing on their catamaran yacht ‘Simplicity’ enjoying a once-in-a-lifetime trip when the incident occurred
Brandel’s son Nick Buro revealed that the family was worried ‘there could be a possibility that they’re not with us’, which sadly turned out to be true
The boat was found 85 nautical miles from where the couple had last been seen on it
Two of the three murder suspects are seen hiding their faces with paper in the back of a pickup after they left court. The person in the middle is another prisoner being transported, unrelated to the case
He said his mother and stepfather were ‘super careful’ and that ‘safety was their biggest concern’ everywhere they went. He surmises that the ‘unfortunate’ and ‘terrible’ event probably ‘came out of nowhere for them’.
AIS data indicates that the vessel left Grenada at approximately 10pm from Grand Anse beach before it was discovered the following Wednesday.
The St Vincent Times reported that the boat was found with blood stains on the inside, but no sign of the couple.
‘Abundant blood was discovered in the master stateroom. Numerous personal belongings were also lost.
Passports discovered on board allowed police to contact the victims’ emergency contacts,” a security report filed on the Caribbean Security and Safety Net said.