US Virgin Islands SARM HESLOP: Missing from boat moored off St. John, US Virgin Islands - 7 March 2021 - Age 41

Hunt for missing Brit after boyfriend told cops 'she may have fallen' from yacht

A search has been launched for Sarm Heslop who was last seen on the 47ft Siren Song in the US Virgin Islands on March 7 - her boyfriend believes she may have fallen overboard

www.dailystar.co.uk

Hunt for missing Brit woman after boyfriend told cops 'she might have fallen' from yacht​

An urgent search is underway for a British woman who has gone missing from her yacht in the Caribbean.

Sarm Heslop, 41, was last seen onboard the 47ft Siren Song in the US Virgin Islands last Sunday (March 7) - and her boyfriend told cops she might have fallen overboard in the night.

Her passport and all of her belongings were left on the boat where the pair were living, which was estimated to be worth around £500,000.

The vessel, which her partner owns, is rented out to charter guests who she takes on a tour of the islands for around £5,000-a-week.

A U.S. Coast Guard spokesman said that Sector San Juan received a call from him on Sunday, around 11.46 am.

The pair had gone to sleep at around 10 pm, and “at 2 am he woke up and realised that she was not on board.”

Nancy Grace questions boyfriend’s ’10-hour delay’ in reporting girlfriend missing from his catamaran

CrimeOnline’s Nancy Grace says she is “curious” about several aspects of the case of former airline attendant Sarm Heslop, who has been missing since she disappeared from her boyfriend’s catamaran while it was moored in the US Virgin Islands overnight on March 7. “I’m questioning the timing...

www.crimeonline.com

Nancy Grace questions boyfriend’s ’10-hour delay’ in reporting girlfriend missing from his catamaran​

CrimeOnline’s Nancy Grace says she is “curious” about several aspects of the case of former airline attendant Sarm Heslop, who has been missing since she disappeared from her boyfriend’s catamaran while it was moored in the US Virgin Islands overnight on March 7.

“I’m questioning the timing here,” Grace told Fox News, noting that the 41-year-old Heslop’s boyfriend, identified as American Ryan Bane, 47, told authorities the couple went to St John for dinner that evening then returned to the 47-foot catamaran, Siren Song, at about 10 p.m.

“He says they watch a movie and fall asleep,” Grace said. “At around 2 a.m., he says, he hears an alarm, the anchor alarm alerting him the ship is getting away from its mooring.”

At that point, Bane told police, he discovered Heslop, a Brit, was missing. Her belongings — including her cell phone — were still on board, and the boat’s dinghy was still there, as CrimeOnline previously reported. But the Virgin Islands Daily News reported that Bane didn’t call the US Coast Guard until almost noon on Monday.


MEDIA - SARM HESLOP: Missing from boat moored off US Virgin Islands since 7 March 2021 - Age 41

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Sarm Heslop's friend says he 'finds it difficult to believe' she fell

British woman Sarm Heslop, 41, was reported missing on March 8, with American Ryan Bane, 44, telling officers that she may have fallen from the couple's catamaran in the US Virgin Islands.

www.dailymail.co.uk

Friend of missing Sarm Heslop says he 'finds it incredibly difficult to believe' she fell from boyfriend's catamaran moored in shallow water in US Virgin islands as police say they have 'concerns regarding the details'​

The friend of a British woman who went missing in the US Virgin Islands has questioned her boyfriend's claim she might have fallen overboard.

'I find it incredibly difficult to say that she fell from a catamaran that was moored about 100 feet away from shore in shallow water while the boat was anchored,' he said on Tuesday in an interview with Fox News on Tuesday.

He also repeated calls for a full investigation by local officials into her disappearance calling on officials to search the yacht. He said: 'We're really looking for a full and thorough investigation and for the search for Sarm to continue.'

Pal of missing Brit, 41, says 'scream heard' on night she vanished in Caribbean

EXCLUSIVE: Laura Taylor says a witness has been in touch with information over the mystery disappearance of her friend Sarm Heslop in the US Virgin Islands in the Caribbean

www.mirror.co.uk

Sarm Heslop: Missing Brit's pal says 'scream heard' on night she vanished in Caribbean​

A scream was heard at 1am in the area a British woman vanished while staying on a yacht in the Caribbean, a friend of hers has claimed.


She said: "We are aware that, at 1am that morning, between the 10pm and 2am timeframe, somebody who was walking their dogs came forward and said they heard a scream.

"He was walking his dogs and he heard a scream, heard a female scream. He heard it from the bayside.

"He got in touch - it was the very first post. [A friend] put it on a local Facebook group.

"Someone got in touch with her directly and said: 'Can you call me?'. That's what he said. I don't know if the police have followed it up.

"It's really important to note how close the boat is. A lot of people have reporting she's lost at sea. She's not. [The boat] is only 120ft from the shore."

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

American boyfriend of British woman who went missing in US Virgin Islands won't let cops search boat: police

The search continues for a 41-year-old British woman who went missing from a boat that was moored off the coast of the U.S. Virgin Islands earlier this month, but police now say the woman's boyfriend, an American man, has acquired a lawyer and will not allow them to search the vessel.

www.foxnews.com

American boyfriend of British woman who went missing in US Virgin Islands won't let cops search boat: police​

The search continues for a 41-year-old British woman who went missing from a boat that was moored off the coast of the U.S. Virgin Islands earlier this month, but police now say the woman's boyfriend, an American man, has acquired a lawyer and will not allow them to search the vessel.


Virgin Islands police officers met with Bane around 2:30 a.m. on March 8 when he reported her missing. Officers performed an initial land search and told Bane to contact the U.S. Coast Guard, who did conduct a search of the vessel later that morning, according to the U.S. Virgin Islands Police Department.

But Virgin Islands police now say that Bane lawyered up and has not allowed them to search the boat since Heslop went missing nearly two weeks ago.

"Soon after reporting Ms. Heslop missing, Mr. Bane acquired the services of an attorney," a spokesperson for the police department said in a statement Friday. "Upon his attorney’s advice, Mr. Bane exercised his constitutional right to remain silent and denied officers’ requests to search the vessel."

Bane's lawyer, David Cattie, said that his client immediately called 911 when he realized she was missing around 2:30 a.m., "then traveled to meet members of the [Virgin Islands Police Department] to give a statement regarding Sarm."

"Later that morning, the US Coast Guard came to Mr. Bane’s vessel (Siren Song) at Mr. Bane’s request," Cattie said in a statement to Fox News Friday. "Multiple USCG officers boarded the vessel and interviewed Mr. Bane on the vessel. Mr. Bane, at the request of Sarm’s family, then turned over her personal belongings to [Virgin Islands Police Department], including her cell phone, iPad, passport, etc."

"It's been eight days since Sarm disappeared," Baldwin told Fox News Wednesday. "Eight days in, they could've found anything on the boat."

Heslop's family said Thursday that they are "shocked and distraught" that she is missing.

"We would like assurance that the authorities in the Virgin Islands are doing everything possible to find her and that the investigation into our beautiful and cherished daughter’s disappearance includes a comprehensive fingertip search of the boat," the family said in a statement.

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

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[GrandmaBear]

Hmm. Hopefully they have or can get enough for a warrant to search the boat to get past his lawyering up. It all sounds pretty unbelievable on its face.

Any idea why this did not hit the news until now? I mean I never saw it and it happened March 7th, not saying I could not have missed it but I haven't seen it picked up anywhere and I follow crime and missing, etc.

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

It's been in the news since March 9. But nothing local (US) until March 12 (Nancy Grace). It still really isn't anywhere big in the States except Nancy Grace and Fox News.
Mostly Virgin Islands and UK news. Probably because she's British.

 

[GrandmaBear]

It's been in the news since March 9. But nothing local (US) until March 12 (Nancy Grace). It still really isn't anywhere big in the States except Nancy Grace and Fox News.
Mostly Virgin Islands and UK news. Probably because she's British.

Just surprised even a Youtuber hasn't picked it up that I have seen. There are a couple I follow that get headlines out of the states and cases that do not hit our news and if it was on Nancy Grace and Fox, I would think someone would have. But again, I don't follow a lot of sites or news, especially lately I have not been online much, so I can see missing it. And even though it is the US Virgin Islands and not foreign or passport territory, tourist areas seem to want to keep news or possible crime as quiet as possible in most cases I have seen so maybe that is part of it.

I am glad you put it up. It sure sounds like a classic "he" did it on the info thus far. Imo of course, not saying it is a certainty.

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Missing Sarm Heslop’s boyfriend has previous domestic violence arrest, ex-wife speaks out

The boyfriend of a British woman who vanished in the U.S. Virgin Islands earlier this month has a previous arrest for domestic violence, and his ex-wife has come forward with concerns about Sarm Heslop’s disappearance. Heslop’s boyfriend Ryan Bane told police that she disappeared from his...

www.crimeonline.com

Missing Sarm Heslop’s boyfriend has previous domestic violence arrest, ex-wife speaks out​

The boyfriend of a British woman who vanished in the U.S. Virgin Islands earlier this month has a previous arrest for domestic violence, and his ex-wife has come forward with concerns about Sarm Heslop’s disappearance.

Cori Stevenson, the former wife of Heslop’s boyfriend Ryan Bane, provided a verbal account and extensive documentation to CrimeOnline about her 2008 marriage to Bane. Stevenson, who met and married Bane in Michigan, said that Bane’s demeanor toward her changed almost immediately after their wedding, and that she cut their honeymoon short because she was concerned for her safety. After years of a difficult and allegedly abusive marriage, Stevenson divorced Bane in 2014.

CrimeOnline obtained a copy of a 2011 arrest report charging Bane with simple assault against his then-wife Cori Bane, now Cori Stevenson. Stevenson provided screenshots of her email correspondence with the U.S. Virgin Islands Police Department [VIPD] alerting them to her concerns about Bane. The messages show that Stevenson provided a detailed account of her history with Bane along with court documents pertaining to their marriage and divorce.

 

[GrandmaBear]

I sure hope they can get a warrant for that boat... And find her as well. This does not sound good.

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Best pal of Brit who vanished off yacht says timeline 'doesn't make sense'

THE best friend of a Brit who vanished from a yacht in the Caribbean says the timeline of her disappearance “doesn’t make sense”. Sarm Heslop, 41, vanished from the vessel moored off the coast of t…

www.thesun.co.uk

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

'We're not giving up': Hunt for missing Southampton woman in US Virgin Islands goes on

A CLOSE friend of a Southampton woman missing in the US Virgin Islands says her disappearance was not reported to coastguards for nine hours.

www.dailyecho.co.uk

Hunt for missing Southampton woman in US Virgin Islands goes on​

A CLOSE friend of a Southampton woman missing in the US Virgin Islands says her disappearance was not reported to coastguards for nine hours.

Former air hostess Sarm Heslop, 41, has not been seen since March 8, when she vanished from a £500,000 catamaran owned by her American boyfriend, Ryan Bane.

Police say Mr Bane is refusing to let them search the 47ft Siren Song, which is moored off St John.

Ms Heslop's best friend in the UK is Andrew Baldwin, 41, of Fawley, who has known her for more than 25 years.

He said: "We know Mr Bane called the local police at 2.30am and was told to call the Coastguard.

"The Coastguard was reported as saying it was alerted to her disappearance by Mr Bane at 11.46am. This timeline just does not make sense to us.

“We also cannot understand why Mr Bane’s lawyer has denied officers’ requests to search the boat."


Mr Bane's lawyers issued a statement saying: "His thoughts and prayers are with Sarm and her family during this difficult time.

"Mr Bane has spent countless hours searching for Sarm and will continue to do so. Ryan is devastated that Sarm is missing.”

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Sarm Heslop: Boyfriend won’t let police search his boat in missing person case on ‘attorney’s advice’ Heslop: Police report of Ryan Bane’s domestic violence arrest shows alleged victim claimed then-husband ‘smashed her head into the floor’
CrimeOnline has obtained police records from the Oakland County Sheriff’s office detailing Ryan Bane’s 2011 domestic violence arrest.

Both Bane and Stevenson told police that they had gotten into a verbal argument on the drive home from a wedding, and Stevenson–who was driving–said that Bane became angry because she was asking for directions. She claimed that Bane dragged her out of the car when they arrived home. Once inside their home, Bane allegedly “grabbed her in the dining room, threw her to the ground, and smashed her head into the floor, chipping one of her teeth.”

Police found Stevenson with a chipped tooth "that appeared to be fresh. Her right ear lobe was bloody and scratched. Her right shoulder and the right side of her neck showed red scratches. Her right eyelid was scratched and red."

In an interview with police, Bane accused Stevenson of attacking him and alleged that Stevenson dragged or tried to drag him out of the car after the couple arrived home, not the other way around. The report indicates that some details provided by Bane were not supported by physical evidence at the scene.


Bane has not been named a suspect in Heslop’s disappearance.

 

[Kimster]

I don’t understand British law, but why haven’t they been able to search that boat yet? This is ridiculous!

 

[GrandmaBear]

I don’t understand British law, but why haven’t they been able to search that boat yet? This is ridiculous!

If I understand it correctly, they are in the US Virgin Islands, not the British. I wonder if it is under maritime law or whatever it is called but they were awfully close to shore so I doubt that.

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

US Virgin Islands Law

law.justia.com

Many but not all federal laws apply to the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The U.S. Virgin Islands do not have their own constitution. The main governing document of the U.S. Virgin Islands is the Revised Organic Act of the Virgin Islands, which was passed by the U.S. Congress in 1954. Other Virgin Islands laws include laws that are passed by the Legislature of the Virgin Islands and periodically codified in the U.S. Virgin Islands Code, as well as decisions by courts that interpret the laws of the U.S. Virgin Islands.

 

[GrandmaBear]

US Virgin Islands Law

law.justia.com

Many but not all federal laws apply to the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The U.S. Virgin Islands do not have their own constitution. The main governing document of the U.S. Virgin Islands is the Revised Organic Act of the Virgin Islands, which was passed by the U.S. Congress in 1954. Other Virgin Islands laws include laws that are passed by the Legislature of the Virgin Islands and periodically codified in the U.S. Virgin Islands Code, as well as decisions by courts that interpret the laws of the U.S. Virgin Islands.

I wish I understood it all but don't. I do know they were in "our" Virgin Islands but she was a Brit which I think is where the confusion comes. Plus one of the maps showed both the British Virgin Islands and ours.

 

[Guess Who]

I wish I understood it all but don't. I do know they were in "our" Virgin Islands but she was a Brit which I think is where the confusion comes. Plus one of the maps showed both the British Virgin Islands and ours.

it could also mean that they haven't given a judge enough evidence to sign off on a warrant.

 

[GrandmaBear]

it could also mean that they haven't given a judge enough evidence to sign off on a warrant.

Yeah, I just wonder what the warrant requirements are and under what law. But then I don't even know what the requirements are here lol. I just know they need enough cause or reason.

On the surface of what we have here, there really isn't much that I see. A formerly allegedly abusive marriage with another woman. Allegedly a late call hours later to the Coast Guard but he did call LE right away so not sure that would be enough... A scream allegedly heard that does not have enough detail to know where it may have came from or if true. I don't see much for a judge to sign off but then I don't know the requirements.

Do we even know if there was evidence of arguing between these two? Prior or at dinner that night? Drinking? Do former guests on the yacht know of incidents between the two or perhaps how they got along? I guess these kinds of things are being looked into in hopes of a warrant as well as any security footage...

 

[Kimster]

Yeah, I just wonder what the warrant requirements are and under what law. But then I don't even know what the requirements are here lol. I just know they need enough cause or reason.

On the surface of what we have here, there really isn't much that I see. A formerly allegedly abusive marriage with another woman. Allegedly a late call hours later to the Coast Guard but he did call LE right away so not sure that would be enough... A scream allegedly heard that does not have enough detail to know where it may have came from or if true. I don't see much for a judge to sign off but then I don't know the requirements.

Do we even know if there was evidence of arguing between these two? Prior or at dinner that night? Drinking? Do former guests on the yacht know of incidents between the two or perhaps how they got along? I guess these kinds of things are being looked into in hopes of a warrant as well as any security footage...

Whatever the requirements, I have deep concerns that by not allowing a search, Sarm's rights are being violated! Sorry not sorry, I'm grumpy about victim's rights today.

 

[Guess Who]

Whatever the requirements, I have deep concerns that by not allowing a search, Sarm's rights are being violated! Sorry not sorry, I'm grumpy about victim's rights today.

yes, just because no warrant has been issued, doesn't mean he can't allow a search