Detectives from St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada conducted a thorough search of a catamaran on Friday as part of their investigation into the disappearance of two United States sailors.
The sailors, whose identities have not been disclosed, were reportedly aboard the yacht named “Simplicity” when it was allegedly stolen in Grenada on Sunday and sailed to St. Vincent overnight, purportedly by three escaped prisoners.
Officers from the Major Crime Unit and the Criminal Records office in Kingstown collaborated with their Grenadian counterparts, including a forensic investigator, aboard the vessel anchored at the main Coast Guard base in Calliaqua, on the south coast of St. Vincent.
Accompanying them were the three Grenadian prisoners — Ron Mitchell, 30, unemployed; Trevon Robertson, a 25-year-old farmer; and Atiba Stanislaus, 23, unemployed, all from Paradise, St. Andrew, Grenada — whom investigators suspect might have killed the two sailors and disposed of their bodies.
Arrest and Charges: Progress in the Investigation
According to police reports on Thursday, the three prisoners who had escaped lawful custody in Grenada were apprehended by police in Petit Bordel on the northwestern coast of St. Vincent the previous day.
During the operation conducted by officers from Narcotics and Rapid Response units around 4:35 pm (local time), one of the men was reportedly shot and subsequently treated in the hospital for his injuries.
Meanwhile, the Caribbean Safety and Security Net (CSSN) reported that a cruising catamaran anchored off Grand Anse, Grenada, was discovered poorly anchored with a shredded jib off the coast of Wallilabou on the west coast of St. Vincent on Tuesday.
Upon inspection, evidence of a violent act was found onboard, including copious amounts of blood in the master stateroom, and the two owners were reported missing. The yacht’s dinghy was also missing but later recovered, along with personal items belonging to the occupants.
Despite the tragic circumstances, passports found onboard allowed authorities to contact the victims’ emergency contact.
The Royal Grenada Police Force stated on Thursday that the three escaped men, upon their recapture, were jointly charged with robbery with violence. Additionally, Ron Mitchell faced separate charges including rape, attempted rape, indecent assault, and causing harm.
Collaboration between regional law enforcement agencies has led to significant progress in the investigation, with preliminary information suggesting the involvement of the escaped prisoners in the disappearance of the American citizens aboard the yacht.
The Grenada police emphasized that the investigation is in its early stages and has dispatched a team of senior investigators and a forensic specialist to St. Vincent and the Grenadines to further the inquiry. Commissioner Don Mc Kenzie has ordered an immediate investigation into the circumstances surrounding the escape of the prisoners.
