The family of a retired Virginia couple, Ralph Hendry and Kathy Brandel, who are presumed dead after three escaped inmates from a Grenada jail hijacked their yacht, have shared their final known movements. The couple, both in their 60s, had been sailing around the Caribbean and docked near Saint George's when their catamaran, named 'Simplicity', was taken last Saturday.
Police fear the couple may have been murdered by suspects Trevon Robertson, Ron Mitchell, and Atiba Stanislaus after 'copious amounts of blood' were found in their bedroom aboard the vessel. The trio had escaped from the South Saint George's Police Station and are believed to have killed the couple before travelling to St. Vincent.
Hendry's sister, Suellen Desmarais, said the couple went into town for a bite to eat on Sunday and planned to walk back. 'Somehow Ralph crossed paths in this teeny tiny town with these three men, what happened after that, we're not sure,' she told WPTV. Desmarais described the couple as 'the kindest people in the entire world' and expressed disbelief at the tragedy.
The vessel was discovered abandoned 85 nautical miles from where the couple had last been seen, with bloodstains on the interior but no sign of the couple. A safety report filed on Caribbean Security and Safety Net noted 'copious volumes of blood' in the master stateroom and missing personal belongings. Local police confirmed the three escapees were caught on Thursday, with charges including robbery with violence, and Mitchell facing additional charges of rape and indecent assault.
The couple were members of the Salty Dawg Sailing Association, which described them as 'veteran cruisers' and 'warm hearted'. They had been enjoying a once-in-a-lifetime trip, living aboard Simplicity as their only home, after planning the voyage for 12 years.
