US Virgin Is - Sarm Joan Lillian Heslop, 41, British, aboard vessel Siren Song, St. John, 7 Mar 2021

[Alethea]

Seriously, your friend has been missing for 11 days and all you have to say is basically (paraphrasing) "Oh well, she does that a lot, she must be off partying." Mm, okay. Even this "friend" admitted it's a slim chance.

Certainly I don't know this woman and maybe she doesn't "hear" what she's saying but IMO it's unusual for a friend to make negative comments while others are actively searching for Sarm. Wow.


Yes, it implies that Sarm is purposely avoiding showing herself while people, including LE, are searching for her.

IMO it's more important than ever for LE to search that boat. Were her personal belongings like ID and money left on board? Wouldn't Sarm's disappearance alone be probable cause to get a search warrant?

What's going on? Something stinks. Owning a 500k+ catamaran shouldn't put one above the law. MOO.

Who needs enemies with friends like that? Also I jokingly called the yacht a tiny boat but really it’s not bigger than a small apartment. Similar boats seem to range from 800 - 1200 sq ft living space total. They’re acting like this is a cruise ship that could take weeks to search thoroughly!

 

[MsMarple]

Police claimed Heslop may have moved to a different island — despite no record of her leaving.

Toby Derima of the USVI police said: “The police are concentrating on the whole area.

“They are putting a lot of resources in to help find the missing Briton.

“We are looking into the possibility that she could have left the island to go to another island on the USVI namely St Thomas.”
...
“The last message I had from him was ‘I’m in pieces’,” said Flora Pickard, a friend of the couple.

“He is totally distraught. He doesn’t like being in the public spotlight, it’s not his style.
What happened to Sarm Heslop and who's her boyfriend Ryan Bane?

So why hasn't LE searched the boat? If Sarm did intentionally leave then a search of the boat could yield clues to either support or refute the claim. Why isn't Ryan Bane willing to allow it? He's too distraught to plea for her and what, too distraught to allow LE onboard? IMO hinky.

 

[Satchie]

Police claimed Heslop may have moved to a different island — despite no record of her leaving.

Toby Derima of the USVI police said: “The police are concentrating on the whole area.

“They are putting a lot of resources in to help find the missing Briton.

“We are looking into the possibility that she could have left the island to go to another island on the USVI namely St Thomas.”
.

RSBM

Seriously? Even her boyfriend thinks she fell overboard, she left all her stuff and did not take their dingey to shore.

 

[Bogyo13]

Why would she go to another island randomly without telling boyfriend unless they had an argument/broke up? JMO.
They were dating for 6months, didn't they?
I hope LE has witnesses from the dinner, perhaps CCTV, were they arguing or behaving affectionately like new couples often do? Speculation only.
That friend does sound like his friend not hers MOO..
I am interested in the opinion of her lifelong friends and family on this statement about her oftenleaving randomly without telling anyone.. or if true is this a new'habit' she picked up during the last 6 months? JMO

 

[JuicyLucy]

Hi...just seen this on Sky News and yes, it does seem like an old, old story. It's not a very longstanding relationship and hypothetically if it were to be an abusive one, I could just about see she might have swum ashore to get away. That's about the best spin I can put on the facts as I've heard them, and it still doesn't make sense that she wouldn't have contacted friends/family by now if that were the case.

Excuse my ignorance, but why does the VIPD need permission to search the boat given that it's allegedly the last known location of a woman reported missing?

 

[MsMarple]

Missing Briton Sarm Heslop's parents have told of their heartache at the disappearance of their 'beautiful and cherished daughter' in the Caribbean.
...
In a statement the family said: 'We are shocked and distraught that Sarm 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.

'Our daughter is a UK citizen and we ask for all of the support that the UK authorities have to offer.
...
Mr Baldwin [Sarm's friend] revealed that investigators from the Virgin Islands Police Department were now in possession of Sarm's belongings but they had still not searched the boat.

He said: 'We understand that even now, 11 days later, the boat has not been searched by the police.'
Sarm Heslop's parents reveal heartache after their 'beautiful and cherished daughter' | Daily Mail Online
BBM.

Sue Hill, a former detective chief superintendent for the Metropolitan Police, joined Ms Heslop’s friends on ITV’s This Morning, as they pleaded for anyone with any information to come forward.

Ms Hill said that the local police force did not have the same “expertise and experience” that Britain did, but that the USVI would have to request assistance for authorities in the UK to help.

“It is so frustrating when you’re sitting here and thinking, the first thing I would have done – and I’m not criticising them – is I’d have been on that boat and assessed the scene to find if there’s any physical evidence ... to see what actually happened,” she said.
Sarm Heslop’s family beg UK authorities to join search for missing woman

 

[whitelilac]

"Police claimed Heslop may have moved to a different island..."
This illustrates, to me, an ineptness or an attitude of "move on, nothing to be seen here" IMO
(Same with the scream heard....will not confirm nor deny that a noise MAY have occurred.
Not to mention that the cat hasn't even been searched....)

Sarm's parents are frantic, have involved the UK authorities, and police in the USVI brush aside the fact that Sarm left all her belongings aside, including ID and passport etc, and did not contact her parents or anyone that she's ok somewhere? It's been what 12 days ! Plus no indication at all that she left.

Makes me wonder if locals and the boating community are aware of police not having the resources or the experience in missing persons investigations. And if so, could that make nefarious people bolder in carrying out crimes? IF Sarm has come to harm, would her family and loved ones ever have justice?

 

[MsMarple]

“We have not been able to search the boat yet and will do this in due course. It is something that will be done eventually,” he said, adding that police are “keeping their options open” to see whether Heslop could have “fled” to St Thomas.
...
The question then becomes: if Sarm Heslop is alive and well — why would she leave her cell phone and identification documents behind on Bane’s boat? She would need them to travel between St. Thomas and St. John.

Although U.S. citizens do not need a passport to travel between St. Thomas and St. John, you do need an official government-issued ID like a driver’s license. British citizens, such as Heslop, would need to produce a passport to take the ferry.
If Sarm Heslop Is Alive And Well, It’s Why VIPD Does Not Search Ryan Bane’s Yacht

Also:
Sarm Heslop: New information, possible witnesses in frustrating U.S. Virgin Islands missing person case

 

[KALI]

Thanks Whitelilac, lots of questions.
IMO, people do not dissappear from a boat moored in shallow, clear water.
10 hours elapsed from the time the bf "said" he'd last seen her.
By his own admission he was the last person to see her alive.
He has hired an attorney, he refuses to allow law enforcement to search his boat..
Oh, and he's a private person who, doesn't want to talk to anyone..
I would like Sarm to talk to anyone! I am sure that she has been removed and silenced from ever being able to talk again.
Time to find out WHO silenced Sarm.

Of course he could be lying.

"Police claimed Heslop may have moved to a different island..."
This illustrates, to me, an ineptness or an attitude of "move on, nothing to be seen here" IMO
(Same with the scream heard....will not confirm nor deny that a noise MAY have occurred.
Not to mention that the cat hasn't even been searched....)

Sarm's parents are frantic, have involved the UK authorities, and police in the USVI brush aside the fact that Sarm left all her belongings aside, including ID and passport etc, and did not contact her parents or anyone that she's ok somewhere? It's been what 12 days ! Plus no indication at all that she left.

Makes me wonder if locals and the boating community are aware of police not having the resources or the experience in missing persons investigations. And if so, could that make nefarious people bolder in carrying out crimes? IF Sarm has come to harm, would her family and loved ones ever have justice?

 

[KALI]

“We have not been able to search the boat yet and will do this in due course. It is something that will be done eventually,” he said, adding that police are “keeping their options open” to see whether Heslop could have “fled” to St Thomas.
...
The question then becomes: if Sarm Heslop is alive and well — why would she leave her cell phone and identification documents behind on Bane’s boat? She would need them to travel between St. Thomas and St. John.

Although U.S. citizens do not need a passport to travel between St. Thomas and St. John, you do need an official government-issued ID like a driver’s license. British citizens, such as Heslop, would need to produce a passport to take the ferry.
If Sarm Heslop Is Alive And Well, It’s Why VIPD Does Not Search Ryan Bane’s Yacht

Also:
Sarm Heslop: New information, possible witnesses in frustrating U.S. Virgin Islands missing person case

 

[whitelilac]

Thanks Whitelilac, lots of questions.
IMO, people do not dissappear from a boat moored in shallow, clear water.
10 hours elapsed from the time the bf "said" he'd last seen her.
By his own admission he was the last person to see her alive.
He has hired an attorney, he refuses to allow law enforcement to search his boat..
Oh, and he's a private person who, doesn't want to talk to anyone..
I would like Sarm to talk to anyone! I am sure that she has been removed and silenced from ever being able to talk again.
Time to find out WHO silenced Sarm.

Of course he could be lying.

The actions and attitude of the bf are reminding me of the husband in the Maya Millette case...

 

[janewall]

“We have not been able to search the boat yet and will do this in due course. It is something that will be done eventually,” he said, adding that police are “keeping their options open” to see whether Heslop could have “fled” to St Thomas.
...
(Snipping for focus)
Also:
Sarm Heslop: New information, possible witnesses in frustrating U.S. Virgin Islands missing person case

From the above-cited article: "Cattie also said that Coast Guard officers searched the vessel later that day, at Bane’s request. A spokesperson for the U.S. Coast Guard was not immediately able to provide confirmation or further details of that search. The spokesperson confirmed that the Coast Guard searched the water in the area where Heslop went missing for several hours on March 8, using air and surface assets."

So Bane's attorney claims Bane's boat was already searched? This seems like it should be cut and dried. So why the lackadaisical messaging about "eventually" searching the boat?

Either the lawyer is transparently lying, in a way that offers him zero plausible deniability of his lie – or the local police are so hopelessly inept that they don't even keep track of search locations. Neither situation bodes well for someone who is either a victim of foul play, or who without notice has gone out of contact with all the known people in her life for almost two weeks, and who should be considered at risk for that reason alone, if such radio silence is not a typical behavior of hers. MOO.

 

[Bogyo13]

Might be a silly question but do pirates operate near those waters? I remember a couple of years ago a woman disappeared from a tiny island in the middle of the night (with partner sleeping through..) and it was assumed pirates might have been involved?
JMO

 

[Bogyo13]

From the above-cited article: "Cattie also said that Coast Guard officers searched the vessel later that day, at Bane’s request. A spokesperson for the U.S. Coast Guard was not immediately able to provide confirmation or further details of that search. The spokesperson confirmed that the Coast Guard searched the water in the area where Heslop went missing for several hours on March 8, using air and surface assets."

So Bane's attorney claims Bane's boat was already searched? This seems like it should be cut and dried. So why the lackadaisical messaging about "eventually" searching the boat?

Either the lawyer is transparently lying, in a way that offers him zero plausible deniability of his lie – or the local police are so hopelessly inept that they don't even keep track of search locations. Neither situation bodes well for someone who is either a victim of foul play, or who without notice has gone out of contact with all the known people in her life for almost two weeks, and who should be considered at risk for that reason alone, if such radio silence is not a typical behavior of hers. MOO.

This is puzzling, was the boat searched or not? Why would police say it wasn't?

 

[MrsWatson]

If Sarm just fell off the boat, or decided to go for a middle-of-the-night swim, (incredibly unlikely, IMO), her body would have been found by now. Very close to shore, other boats around, I'm guessing the water would be quite calm for boats to anchor there for extended periods.

But her cell phone, passport, etc, were on the boat. So did she make it back after dinner? Or did just her personal belongings come back?

B/F giving off big time vibes here. Him being a "private" person, yeah, isn't that precious? She went halfway around the world to be with him and now he can't be arsed?

MOO

 

[JerseyGirl]

This is puzzling, was the boat searched or not? Why would police say it wasn't?

I think it makes sense for the US Coast Guard to have jurisdiction on boarding the boat over the St. John police, since the boat is moored or anchored offshore.

By the way, St. John is beautiful, 2/3 of the island is a national park. The bays are calm and clear. And since she is an experienced sailor, I hardly believe she fell from the boat and drifted away, being so close to shore.

 

[Curiousobserver]

From the above-cited article: "Cattie also said that Coast Guard officers searched the vessel later that day, at Bane’s request. A spokesperson for the U.S. Coast Guard was not immediately able to provide confirmation or further details of that search. The spokesperson confirmed that the Coast Guard searched the water in the area where Heslop went missing for several hours on March 8, using air and surface assets."

So Bane's attorney claims Bane's boat was already searched? This seems like it should be cut and dried. So why the lackadaisical messaging about "eventually" searching the boat?

Either the lawyer is transparently lying, in a way that offers him zero plausible deniability of his lie – or the local police are so hopelessly inept that they don't even keep track of search locations. Neither situation bodes well for someone who is either a victim of foul play, or who without notice has gone out of contact with all the known people in her life for almost two weeks, and who should be considered at risk for that reason alone, if such radio silence is not a typical behavior of hers. MOO.

That article makes it sound like, at least to me, there is complete disfunction on the part of local police. This account is very, very different. He contacted police at 2:30am which makes a whole lot more sense.

-Boat moored 100ft away, no witness statements taken even after they called to offer them
-possibly had seen her that evening on deck relaxing
-boyfriend tracked down witnesses to help them give a statement
-called police right away when found her missing
-boat has been searched on the same day at the owners request

This just gets weirder and weirder

 

[JerseyGirl]

Looking at the map, Frank Bay is near Cruz Bay and the ferries, the main town on the island. I had assumed Frank Bay was in the more isolated/national park area of St. John.

 

[elliefant]

This investigation (not the disappearance/murder) is reminding me very much of Michaela Harte McAreavey. In her case it was Mauritius but there was a very strong feeling that they were trying to sweep it all under the carpet to protect the tourism industry, this feels similar.

Murder of Michaela McAreavey

 

[JuicyLucy]

It's really unclear to me whether VIPD haven't searched the boat because Ryan Bane is refusing to let them or because they're doing a slow, half-assed job. The early reports suggested he was withholding permission but the VIFreePress article is ambiguous - "We have not been able to search the boat yet" - and suggests more that they're just being reeeeeeally slow to get around it. And now the lawyer is saying the US coastguard did it the same day she was reported missing at Bane's request?

If you had something to hide, you might well want to take advantage of a local PD that you know will be slow to get themselves in gear, but equally, I can see you might want to cover yourself by getting a different authority to do the search that you know ought to be happening but isn't, to protect yourself against accusations later.

The toxic combination of an incompetent police investigation and a prime suspect who 'wants to be private' is going to make it very hard to get answers for her poor family.

If Sarm Heslop Is Alive And Well, It’s Why VIPD Does Not Search Ryan Bane’s Yacht