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An American couple is feared dead after three prisoners who escaped custody in Grenada hijacked their yacht.
Ralph Hendry and Kathy Brandel were sailing on their catamaran ‘Simplicity’ and are believed to be dead following the incident last Sunday.
The couple, from Virginia, were sailing around the Caribbean island and had docked near Saint George when they were captured.
The suspects, Trevon Robertson, Ron Mitchell and Atiba Stanislaus, were being held at the South Saint George police station on the island when they escaped.
According to the Saint Vincent TimesPolice believe the trio hijacked the yacht and killed the couple before traveling to St Vincent.
Ralph Hendry and Kathy Brandel were sailing on their catamaran ‘Simplicity’ and are believed to be dead following the incident last Sunday.
The couple, from Virginia, had been sailing around the Caribbean island and had docked the Simplicity near St. George when it was captured.
AIS data indicates that the ship left Grenada at around 10pm from Grand Anse Beach before being discovered the following Wednesday.
The outlet reported that blood stains were found inside, but there is no sign of the couple.
Local police issued a statement Thursday confirming that the three fugitives had been captured.
RSVG police said: ‘Three male prisoners who escaped from lawful police custody in Grenada have been recaptured by police in St Vincent and the Grenadines.
‘The escaped prisoners whose names are Ron Mitchell, 30, Trevon Robertson, 25, and Atiba Stanislaus, 23, were recaptured on Wednesday, February 21, 2024 at around 4:35 p.m., during an operation conducted by members of the Narcotics and Rapid Response Units in the northwestern town of Petit Bordel.
‘The three men had been in police custody in Granada accused of rape, robbery with violence and other serious crimes.
“During the operation, two other Grenadian citizens were also arrested.”
The couple had been part of the Salty Dawg Boating Association and said a cruise skipper found the Simplicity abandoned on a beach.
The suspects, Trevon Robertson, Ron Mitchell and Atiba Stanislaus, seen here, were being held at the South Saint George police station on the island when they escaped.
According to the association, the person boarded the boat and found evidence of apparent violence.
They added that they had spent the winter sailing in the Eastern Caribbean after sailing from Hampton, Virginia, to Antigua.
Bob Osborn, president of SDSA, said: “This is a very disturbing event and authorities have not yet confirmed the details, but it appears to be a tragic event – our hopes and prayers are with Ralph and Kathy and the family who loves them.”
‘I have spoken to the families and offered our deepest condolences and help in every way possible.
“In all my years of sailing in the Caribbean, I have never heard of anything like this.”
According to a LinkedIn profile, Hendry was the founder of a wealth management group and previously worked for Citi bank.