Authorities say 3 fugitives hijacked the boat of Ralph Hendry and Kathy Brandel and may have killed them in the process
A Virginia couple who were enjoying their retirement cruising the Caribbean on their yacht are feared dead after three escaped prisoners hijacked their vessel.
Ralph Hendry and Kathy Brandel were docked on Sunday in the St. George’s area of Grenada, which they frequent annually in the winter months when authorities say the three fugitives set upon them and stole their yacht called “Simplicity.” The vessel is a catamaran, a type of sailing yacht with two hulls.
The prisoners, aged 30, 19, and 20, had been locked up on charges of violent robbery, with the eldest also being held on three counts of attempted rape.
The Royal Grenada Police Force (RGPF) says the three prisoners were discovered near another Caribbean Island on Wednesday, but there was no sign of the couple.
Investigators say the boat was ransacked and that a violent act took place.
“The RGPF is currently working on leads that suggest that the two occupants of the yacht may have been killed in the process,” police said in a Thursday Facebook post. “It is believed that the occupants of the yacht were American citizens.”
A GoFundMe post by Jessica Mause, who says she is a close friend of one of the couple’s sons, wrote that they were dead.
“It is with profound sadness and heavy hearts that we share the devastating news of the senseless act of violence that tragically claimed the lives of husband and wife, Ralph Hendry and Kathy Brandel. Their lives ended in unimaginable tragedy… off the shores of Grand Anse Beach, Grenada.”
However, Hendry’s sister, Suellen Desmarais, told FOX 5 that she is keeping faith they are alive and is still trying to figure out what happened.
“Why would I presume anyone is dead with no body and DNA? I want to remain positive. I want to believe that they are alive,” said Desmarais, who shared some details about the heartbreaking incident.
“On Sunday, they went into the town around 3 o’clock because another boater saw them go into town. And then the other boater, when he went to bed, he noticed that they were there because you always look to see who is around you and in the morning, when the boater woke up they were gone,” Desmarais said.
The RGPF said it had taken the three prisoners into custody; Ron Mitchell, a 30-year-old sailor; Trevon Robertson, a 19-year-old unemployed man and Abita Stanislaus, a 20-year-old farmer. They are all locals from Paradise in Grenada and had been locked up since December, police said.
Mause wrote that the couple were experienced adventurers who spent their retirement sailing aboard Simplicity in the winters and then traveled to New England in the summer.
Source : https://www.foxnews.com/world/virginia-couple-feared-dead-escaped-prisoners-hijack-yacht-caribbean