Bahamas - Taylor Casey, 41, Chicago, last seen in at yoga retreat, Paradise Island, Nassau, 19 Jun 2024

[FoxxTraxx]

According to a July 5 bulletin from the police force, Michael Johnson, Chief Superintendent and Officer-in-Charge-of the Criminal Investigation Department, agreed to garden leave -- a policy similar to paid leave -- following recent social media circulation of "voice notes" involving Johnson.

Royal Bahamas Police Supt. placed on leave amid investigation into Chicago woman's disappearance at yoga retreat

The move raised has raised questions about the integrity and trustworthiness of the police force.

www.nbcchicago.com

Quotes from the Ashram:

Many of our community members chose to speak with them and the ashram did not intervene in terms of what individuals said. They were encouraged to speak freely. Any perceived hesitancy could have been due to their own grieving processes.

A nice attempt at improving public relations. They were grieving too deeply to provide timely and critical information for the investigation. Early on there was an implication that Taylor departed by her own volition.

 

[mlhenn]

https://www.cnn.com/2024/07/09/us/taylor-casey-missing-bahamas-search-update/index.html

During a June 22 search, a dog picked up a scent from a tent and tracked it to the water, but the scent ended there.

Investigators in the Bahamas asked American authorities for help unlocking the phone, but they also had no luck, Fernander said Monday.

Authorities also reviewed surveillance footage from around the island, but there is “no information to connect at this time,” the police commissioner added.

When asked for comment, the FBI referred CNN to the Royal Bahamas Police Force.

 

[mlhenn]

Bahamas search crews say they've found missing Chicago woman's phone in water

Police in the Bahamas say that they've recovered an iPhone they believe belongs to a missing Chicago woman, though they admitted Monday they have not as of yet been able to open it to access its contents.

www.cbsnews.com

Officials added that underwater drones were used in the search for Casey on July 3, but they didn't come up with anything.

Meanwhile, surveillance footage from the hotel has also yielded no results.

 

[nhmemorymaker]

How would one locate a phone in 50 feet of water especially when it is not emitting a signal?

same question, for sure.

 

[mlhenn]

Police find missing Chicago woman's cell phone, journal in Bahamian waters

Search crews found Taylor Casey’s cell phone and a journal in Bahamian waters but investigators reported they have been unable to access its contents.

www.usatoday.com

Most recently, police announced search crews including K-9 units tracked a scent to waters where they found Casey’s cell phone and a journal.

Was the journal found in the water 50+ ft deep with the cellphone? Or was it found in a different part of the water? Beach?

 

[imstilla.grandma]

“It’s a multimillion-dollar business. They have centers all around the world. They’re not just going to kill somebody,” says Savano

“Knowing her and her telling me how intense this program was, I thought maybe since it was Juneteenth, she was probably going out for a little bit and went out to this party,” Savano says. “Maybe someone drugged her, threw the phone in the ocean, and took her somewhere. Where? I don’t know. Is she alive? I hope so.”

“When you see people commenting on her looks and saying, ‘that’s a man,’ it’s hurtful to me and her family reading that,” she says. “She’s more than that. She surpassed gender. She’s a spiritual being and comfortable with who she is.”

“You cannot trust anybody. No one is your friend,” she says. “You have to stick to yourself. I don’t go out. I’m in bed by 10 pm. If you’re going to go out and drink, be careful who you’re surrounded with and watch your drink at all times.”

TN Exclusive: Best Friend Of Missing Woman In The Bahamas Describes Her As 'Loving,' Urges Authorities To Do More To Find Her - Travel Noire

"How can anyone want to harm her? I just don’t understand it," said the best friend of Taylor Casey, the woman missing in the Bahamas.

travelnoire.com

 

[branmuffin]

In my experience baking soda isn't chunky in appearance. Yes I see what appears to be a lighter and pipe. If it appears to be drugs and drug paraphernalia to me at a glance I believe that someone with bad intentions could have easily caused her harm with the assumption that she had drugs to steal. I'm not saying she had or used drugs all I'm saying is someone dangerous or a desperate addict could have targeted her believing she did use drugs and carried them on her, attacking her while she's was away from tent intending to rob her only to learn what they wanted wasn't on her or in her purse. Robbery gone bad or horribly wrong. All my opinion of course.. all it takes is the wrong kind of person to be incorrect about what she had in her tent area and target her. We've seen and heard of people killed for less or dumber reasons. MOO

Baking soda will get hard and clump together if exposed to moisture. If container isn't closed tightly clumping can occur.

 

[branmuffin]

How would one locate a phone in 50 feet of water especially when it is not emitting a signal?

The water is incredibly clear. Depending on what kind of case Taylor had her phone in, the sunlight may have reflected off that or the glass front making it easy to see at ocean floor. I've been in water off the Grand Cayman Islands that is at least that deep and you can see right to the bottom.

 

[iamshadow21]

Baking soda will get hard and clump together if exposed to moisture. If container isn't closed tightly clumping can occur.

Yeah, I can confirm this. I had a Lush baking soda based tooth powder, and you get a bit of water in there, and it clumps up really quickly.

 

[HoneyBunOne]

“It’s a multimillion-dollar business. They have centers all around the world. They’re not just going to kill somebody,” says Savano

“Knowing her and her telling me how intense this program was, I thought maybe since it was Juneteenth, she was probably going out for a little bit and went out to this party,” Savano says. “Maybe someone drugged her, threw the phone in the ocean, and took her somewhere. Where? I don’t know. Is she alive? I hope so.”

“When you see people commenting on her looks and saying, ‘that’s a man,’ it’s hurtful to me and her family reading that,” she says. “She’s more than that. She surpassed gender. She’s a spiritual being and comfortable with who she is.”

“You cannot trust anybody. No one is your friend,” she says. “You have to stick to yourself. I don’t go out. I’m in bed by 10 pm. If you’re going to go out and drink, be careful who you’re surrounded with and watch your drink at all times.”

TN Exclusive: Best Friend Of Missing Woman In The Bahamas Describes Her As 'Loving,' Urges Authorities To Do More To Find Her - Travel Noire

"How can anyone want to harm her? I just don’t understand it," said the best friend of Taylor Casey, the woman missing in the Bahamas.

travelnoire.com

Why is the information regarding Taylor being seen at 11pm and a possible nearby party only coming to light now AFAIK? Was she seen wearing clothing for bed? Shoes? Did she have a bag or purse with her?

I'd like to think that if a party occured nearby just before she went missing that law enforcement would be all over that and the attendees, but I fear not, at least in a timely manner. If for no other reason than to put pressure on attendees to see if anyone saw her, or cracks under pressure. If her best friend thinks it's feasible that she may have attended, then it's quite possible she did. Perhaps she was invited/lured by someone she met earlier? The fact that the ashram required silence (and I'm guessing bed time) from 10pm, and she was last seen at 11pm suggests to me she may have attended. If I were to sneak out, I'd probably wait an hour until everyone was asleep to do it. MOO only of course.

 

[Danaya]

Anyone know if she can swim?

 

[PommyMommy]

Interview w/Taylor's mom and friend.

Missing Illinois woman Taylor Casey's mom told me police in the Bahamas haven't reached out to her in weeks. Also -we have confirmed Bahamas Police Chief Superintendent Michael Johnson is on leave amid a "voice note" scandal.Unclear if it's connected to the Casey investigation.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1810787833579258279

 

[PommyMommy]

“It’s a multimillion-dollar business. They have centers all around the world. They’re not just going to kill somebody,” says Savano

“Knowing her and her telling me how intense this program was, I thought maybe since it was Juneteenth, she was probably going out for a little bit and went out to this party,” Savano says. “Maybe someone drugged her, threw the phone in the ocean, and took her somewhere. Where? I don’t know. Is she alive? I hope so.”

“When you see people commenting on her looks and saying, ‘that’s a man,’ it’s hurtful to me and her family reading that,” she says. “She’s more than that. She surpassed gender. She’s a spiritual being and comfortable with who she is.”

“You cannot trust anybody. No one is your friend,” she says. “You have to stick to yourself. I don’t go out. I’m in bed by 10 pm. If you’re going to go out and drink, be careful who you’re surrounded with and watch your drink at all times.”

TN Exclusive: Best Friend Of Missing Woman In The Bahamas Describes Her As 'Loving,' Urges Authorities To Do More To Find Her - Travel Noire

"How can anyone want to harm her? I just don’t understand it," said the best friend of Taylor Casey, the woman missing in the Bahamas.

travelnoire.com

They have been saying she was last seen late in the evening. So now we know that means 11pm.

From the article:

A witness at the retreat reported hearing Casey leave around 11 p.m. on the night she was believed to have gone missing. Investigators also noted the possibility of a nearby house party at the time.

“Knowing her and her telling me how intense this program was, I thought maybe since it was Juneteenth, she was probably going out for a little bit and went out to this party,” Savano says. ...

 

[PommyMommy]

JUL 9, 2024

Taylor Casey: Officer suspended amid search for missing Chicago woman in Bahamas

Nearly three weeks have passed since Taylor Casey, a Chicago woman, vanished from a yoga retreat in the Bahamas.

www.fox32chicago.com

"Results will not come overnight, but rest assured, the investigation is being vigorously pursued. It will not disappear out the back door. It will not disappear," said Police Commissioner Clayton Fernander of the Royal Bahamas Police Force.

Royal Bahamas Police Supt. placed on leave amid investigation into Chicago woman's disappearance at yoga retreat

The move raised has raised questions about the integrity and trustworthiness of the police force.

www.nbcchicago.com

Fernander noted that the force was also investigating another missing persons case involving Devon Issacs, a local 17-year-old boy who disappeared more than seven weeks ago.

"That is a concern for us," Fernander said. "No kind of indication, no calls came in that they had any sighting of him."

 

[RickshawFan]

Here’s an example of the daily schedule provided on their site:

Morning
6:00 a.m – Start the day with the serenity of early morning meditation. The clear sea air and radiant dawn aid the mind to focus and the body to be still. Half an hour of silent meditation is followed by joyful chanting, a spiritual talk or reading, and closing prayers.
8:00 a.m. – Two-hour class of asanas (yoga postures), pranayama (yogic breathing techniques), and relaxation that invigorates and refreshes the body and mind.
10:00 a.m. – Delicious vegetarian brunch
Midday
Create your own optimal afternoon schedule. Take an experiential workshop, attend a lecture or enjoy a healing art session. Study, swim, relax on the beach, or go snorkeling. Take a snack break at the Boutique, meet new or old friends or take time to read a book in the tropical gardens.
4:00 p.m. – Two-hour yoga class. Feel how your body achieves maximum stretch at this time and the great progress that can be made. Observe as your breath gets calmer and your mind clearer in the serenity of your afternoon practice.
6:00 p.m. – Dinner
After dinner, take an early evening walk on the beach, enjoying the beautiful sunset.
Evening
8:00 p.m. – Satsang (meditation, chanting and talk) completes the day During the evening satsang we usually enjoy a concert, a dance performance or a talk by one of our special guests.
10:00 p.m. Lights-off

Yoga Vacation Program

Simplify, reset, and reconnect with yourself. The ashram offers an all-inclusive experience with a private beach, daily yoga classes, satsangs (meditation & chanting), engaging talks, performances, and workshops from acclaimed presenters daily. Whether you're new to yoga or experienced, the pro

sivanandabahamas.org

I speculate the teacher training course schedule is fuller. They must have the certification hours at some point.

Lol everyone has to have lights off at the same time because they sleep in sheer tents. One light on, and the entire tent platform would be awake.

 

[RickshawFan]

Powdered toothpaste is really common in hippie and traveling communities. It comes in a larger bottle that doesn't fit in my travel toiletry bag. There are a few Indian brands, but you can also buy Ipsab brand at Whole Foods. The bag looks like toothpaste and not drugs.

I used baking soda in lieu of toothpaste when I was a thru hiker. A little goes a long way, and weighs less than a travel-size tube of paste. Cheap!

 

[RickshawFan]

Quotes from the Ashram:



A nice attempt at improving public relations. They were grieving too deeply to provide timely and critical information for the investigation. Early on there was an implication that Taylor departed by her own volition.

The retreat wanted the idea that Taylor departed by her own volition. Note how the word “departed” is definitive that she left the premises, so presumably “nothing to do with the retreat”. All of it distances Taylor from the retreat. Egregious.

The vast majority of folks on that beach and that dock were folks hanging out at the retreat, either as paying visitors or unpaid volunteers or the scant paid staff. Also, the schedule ^^^ specifically mentions spending time on the beach in the evening hours. No way there was no one else from the retreat on the beach that night.

Besides, where are all these visitors showering? How are they getting all that sweat out? Their stinky clothes washed? Wanna bet there’s not a whole lot of desalinated water? Heck, I’d be bathing at the beach, salt and all. Or maybe you take a bucket of cold water from the retreat and douse yourself in the moonlight?

 

[acutename]

According to a July 5 bulletin from the police force, Michael Johnson, Chief Superintendent and Officer-in-Charge-of the Criminal Investigation Department, agreed to garden leave -- a policy similar to paid leave -- following recent social media circulation of "voice notes" involving Johnson.

Royal Bahamas Police Supt. placed on leave amid investigation into Chicago woman's disappearance at yoga retreat

The move raised has raised questions about the integrity and trustworthiness of the police force.

www.nbcchicago.com

what are "voice notes?" voice mails? something else?

 

[mlhenn]

TN Exclusive: Best Friend Of Missing Woman In The Bahamas Describes Her As 'Loving,' Urges Authorities To Do More To Find Her - Travel Noire

"How can anyone want to harm her? I just don’t understand it," said the best friend of Taylor Casey, the woman missing in the Bahamas.

travelnoire.com

Jessica Savano was at the Istanbul airport, Turkey, flying to Croatia, when she saw a missed call that shook her to her core. It was from Colette Seymore, the mother of the missing 41-year-old woman, Taylor Casey, who disappeared while attending a yoga retreat in the Bahamas.

Savano tells Travel Noire that while there is a lot of speculation about what happened to Casey, she doesn’t think her disappearance is related to foul play from the yoga retreat center.

…

The last message Savano received from Casey was three days before she went missing. Savano sent Casey a voice text about the fun she was having in Istanbul and then reminded Casey that she loves her. Casey replied with her latest adventure in the Bahamas, adding how the yoga courses are “intense.”

 

[RickshawFan]

Things I’d pack for at that “retreat”;

—my collapsible Ikea wash bowl
—two real actual towels; I’d use the skimpy issued one as a mattress pad
—a light camping blanket
—a silk or coolmax sleeping bag liner
—my super-collapsible camping lounge chair
—my cheap ikea pillow
—my 3-inch car camping Thermarest
—some healthy snacks like dark chocolate and pre-cooked bacon
—my travel kettle, tea bag supply, and powdered milk in a cockroach-proof jar
—wipes for butt, body, hair, feet, crotch and armpits, 3 packs for each body part
—100-pack of toilet seat covers
—32 oz of Purell
—3 canisters of deodorant
—nuun
—ear plugs
—a safe
—locks for all the tent zippers
—a kindle loaded with murder mysteries and hacks for survival in a sheer tent cheek-by-jowl with 30 other people when you’re required to be nice for a month; there’s gotta be loads of those on YT