Three escaped inmates have been charged with murder for allegedly killing an American couple who vanished from their stolen catamaran in the Caribbean last month.
Ron Mitchell, Atiba Stanisclaud, and Trevon Robertson were all charged on Thursday with two counts of capital murder for “intentionally causing” the deaths of Ralph Hendry and Kathy Brandel, the Royal Grenada Police Force announced.
The trio appeared in court for the first time Thursday, and were remanded to prison, the statement added.
The three men are accused of escaping from a police holding cell on Feb. 18 – the same day that Hendry and Brandel were last seen near their docked catamaran, “Simplicity,” in St. George’s, Grenada.
The escapees are thought to have hijacked the boat while Hendry and Brandel were on board.
The Virginia couple – who lived on their boat during the winter – are believed to have been thrown overboard while the suspects sailed to St. Vincent, authorities said.
Blood was found on the boat, but the couple’s bodies have not been recovered.
All three men were arrested in St. Vincent on Feb. 21, and were deported back to Grenada on Monday, CBS News reported.
In addition to the murder charges, the suspects were each charged with escaping lawful custody, housebreaking, robbery, and two counts of kidnapping, police said.
Stanislaus, 25, was also hit with one count of rape.
Hendry and Brandel spent most of their time sailing up and down the east coast.
They were remembered by the Salty Dawg Sailing Association as “veteran cruisers” who participated in the Caribbean Rally from Virginia to Antigua lat year, CBS noted.
“We live in a world that at times can be cruel, but it’s also a world of profound beauty, wonder, adventure, love, compassion, caring, and faith,” the couple’s children wrote in a statement last week.
“Our parents encompassed all those values and so much more. If we have learned anything from this tragic event, it’s that we know they left this world in a better place than it was before they were born,” they added.