VA - Amy Bradley - missing from cruise ship, Curacao - 1998

[fridaybaker]

People often point out how very strange it would be for AB to have been kidnapped off of a cruise ship. There are so many questions. Let’s go through some of them, such as “why a cruise ship?” Wouldn’t the logistics be a nightmare as compared to just kidnapping a tourist off the streets, beach, outside of a bar, a hotel, etc.

Here’s a thought. Maybe that’s simply where the people behind the kidnapping had connections. (Boy, this is bringing back memories long forgotten. Weren’t a couple of the sketchy men around Amy, maybe crew on the ship at that time, arrested later on and thought to have been deep into criminal behavior? Meaning, they weren’t arrested for possession of some MJ or something. I shall have to look this up and report back.)

And, really, why NOT a cruise ship. Like restaurants, hotels, etc. in touristy places, cruise ships are full of inebriated young women “letting loose” on vacation. Perfect targets. Drugging one of them would be easy, and the docking process is likely very busy. Probably very easy on some ships to slip someone out in a large box.

Amy, though, wasn’t out with a bunch of friends “letting loose”, but with family. Mom, Dad and brother. However, perhaps there were several “boxes” that Amy ticked: As I mentioned earlier, maybe there was a profile needed, such as an American, native English speaker, who looked “trustworthy”, “professional”, etc. And, Amy was known to be very friendly, would easily talk to strangers, but perhaps also came across immediately as somewhat naive and trusting. She also readily mingled with strangers, was willing to be on her own on the ship, and was drinking.

Just some thoughts. Sorry for the power posting!

 

[arielilane]

Feel so bad for Amy's parents and brother and all her loved one. Her life beginning and she had doubts about going on the cruise. Family were not only were scammed but advised of possible sightings if IIRC, military guy, Barbados and SF sightings that you just don't know what to believe. The band member she was last seen with name is "Yellow",IIRC. Imo, a nightmare. moo

Really hope for answers soon!
All speculation on my part.

 

[neesaki]

I think Amy isn’t with us anymore. The sightings all happened within a few years after her disappearance and there haven’t been any now for many years.

I do believe that she was kidnapped and smuggled off the ship. I found the sightings quite believable and the photo on the “escort/sex tourism” site, or whatever it was, very similar to her.

I was very interested early on when the VI here, “Finding Amy” kept trying to point us in a specific direction without coming out and saying exactly what he/she was thinking. She gave us to understand that she thought that there were people who were watching her family at their home here in the U.S. at least for some time after Amy’s disappearance, and indicated that saying too much could put Amy in further danger. I’m not sure if I’m remembering that all correctly. It’s pretty vague after all these years.

However, I always found it especially interesting that the VI was trying to point us to kidnapping that was for something very nefarious, but NOT necessarily for sex trafficking, at least not for the trafficking of Amy herself. She kept prompting us to think of other scenarios wherein a group of criminals might want someone of Amy’s description to work for them. I never could figure it out but my impression was that it was something along the lines of needing someone who could instill confidence in the type of people who were perhaps trafficking in illicit adoption from the Caribbean countries or something like that.

I do remember that the VI stated that she thought that Amy herself had likely been sexually abused and probably prostituted out, but that that was not thought to be the main objective in kidnapping her. That she was needed for another purpose. And that is one of the most frustrating aspects of this case, IMO: Whenever the possibility of kidnapping comes up there are many who simply won’t consider it because of the logistics of getting her off the ship, there are many easier targets, etc. However, just because young, relatively affluent, white women who are traveling with family on a cruise are very rarely kidnapped, or just because we’ve never heard of it, doesn’t mean that it didn’t happen. There were some very strange things that went on on that ship, such as all of Amy’s photos disappearing, the (band members? Can’t remember) who kept asking about Amy and wanted to take her to Carlos and Charlies and who she said “creeped her out”, etc. A sighting of her in the early morning of her disappearance with Yellow with a drink in her hand. Etc.

I guess what I’m saying is that the VI was asserting that, yes, Amy’s case isn’t something that fits into a “profile” of a particular type of kidnapping. That this is an outlier case. One not typical. I’ve thought for many years that she may be right.

I agree. There were too many hinky things that went on. But sadly also doubt she’s still alive after all this time. They may have decided she had become too much of a liability.
Do you recall the Couple who was arrested for trafficking… re the guy who looked just like the depiction on the FBI site on Amys case?

 

[neesaki]

The agent speaking here, who is in charge of the case, obviously doesn’t think she fell overboard.

Wanted by the FBI: Seeking Tips in Amy Bradley Investigation | Federal Bureau of Investigation

The FBI is seeking public tips in the case of a Virginia woman who disappeared 20 years ago this month.

www.fbi.gov

 

[fridaybaker]

Neesaki, I can't find the second half of this. Do you have any idea where to get it? The "teaser" for the episode seems interesting -something about someone "turning around and following Amy into the disco".

 

[MrsWatson]

What was it about Amy that would make the crew take such a special interest in her?

Maybe just the fact she was a young, single woman.

 

[fridaybaker]

Neesaki, I can't find the second half of this. Do you have any idea where to get it? The "teaser" for the episode seems interesting -something about someone "turning around and following Amy into the disco".

Replying to my own post because I see now that the episodes just follow each other.

 

[dotr]

Replying to my own post because I see now that the episodes just follow each other.

Just in case..

 

[neesaki]

Replying to my own post because I see now that the episodes just follow each other.

I was just going to reply but see you found it,

 

[GXP Sleuther]

I believe this was a tragic yet simple case of someone falling overboard.

or pushed.. considering the FBI has been involved since day 1.

 

[GXP Sleuther]

What was it about Amy that would make the crew take such a special interest in her?

absolutely nothing. This is hearsay from 3 people that were on that boat that happen to be her family..

 

[neesaki]

DBM

 

[neesaki]

absolutely nothing. This is hearsay from 3 people that were on that boat that happen to be her family..

Were you there? We really do want do know.

 

[neesaki]

Decided to post links for each thread separately to make it easier to access them separately . Plus it’s more convenient for me, lol.

Links to threads #1 and #4:

VA - Amy Bradley, 23, Petersburg, 24 March 1998 - #1

I thought I remembered seeing a thread about Amy Bradley here on Websleuths but I can't seem to find it. If this is a duplicate please let me know. Amy Bradley has been missing since March 24th, 1998. She was on a cruise ship vacationing with her family when she "vanished". Below are some...

www.websleuths.com

Amy Bradley, 23, Disappeared from cruise ship en route to Curaçao, 24 March 1998 #4

Please continue here. ALL POSTERS - PLEASE READ: WARNING: This thread may contain photos or links associated with escort sites and services. Be forewarned the links you open may lead to sexual content. Please use caution when opening links posted in this thread. Members, please post warnings...

www.websleuths.com

 

[Gloomy Bear]

or pushed.. considering the FBI has been involved since day 1.

Pushed by whom?

 

[ex-stat]

Before I watched the episode and read around it I thought that she simply would have fallen overboard. However, now I'm not so sure. The FBI say the sighting in the elevator is credible and they have access to way more information than the public does so I tend to trust that. To me the most likely scenario is that some kind of altercation or even an accident happened on the top deck with the person in question. But then why were the crew and associates seemingly so interested in her? Is wanting to take an individual to a bar off boat usual? Maybe it is. Maybe there are other suspicious factors. I did not realise just how close to shore the ship was when she went missing. Could she have left without informing her parents and then something happened actually on Curaçao?

I would have thought she was taken ship to ship if this was orchestrated directly before a docking (not even necessarily to leave the island, but to be more easily hidden directly after disembarking). It's disgusting if that is the case.

The ship was apparently in the canal or just beyond it at her time of disappearance. Of course, someone could still fall over but to me it looks a lot less likely than what I had imagined if this is accurate:

I think it is possible that she was taken to another ship. It is also possible she fell or was pushed overboard.

 

[ex-stat]

Damn, I keep flipping my mind about on this. There is not exactly impartial information available. Did anyone else find the information about the grand jury testimonies?

I mean witnesses can be manipulated and giving a drink to someone is not a crime; in fact I would imagine it happens a lot on a cruise ship. But then I don't get a good feeling about this host of characters. Also, why were some aspects of the timing of the story changed? I was quite concerned when I discovered that.

That photograph is chilling but it means nothing really if they cannot ascertain whether or not it was doctored. Also, there are lots of people who look like looks of people - look at all of the fake sightings (like Pepita Redhair).

People say trafficking is unlikely and in general I agree given the demographic. I mean isn't it more likely that it would be an assault onboard? But, if someone was to do it I would imagine that this is a good place. What jurisdiction are you under? Netherlands Antilles at the time? I am not that familar with Curaçao despite my ex being from a similar island in that region so I looked it up and good luck with that.

If someone fell off the top deck or a balcony, even if they could swim to shore they could still be knocked unconscious or pulled into the ship's machinery I would imagine.

Is it accurate that Amy's father's boss (Mike McCord) was on the trip with them and why is this never mentioned? Is what Chris Fenwick says accurate? Chris Fenwick's Custom Tutorials - Home - Amy Bradley is missing.

 

[ex-stat]

Hello,

I would just like to apologise for the above.

I think that there is way too much inaccurate information or disinformation around for me to have attempted to put together any thoughts on this. Please disregard the picture I posted as although I think that it is an interesting picture showing the docking area on Curaçao, I am not entirely sure as to how accurate it is regarding the ship's location in the time period that has been discussed.

We do not even know if the plans of the room that are available are accurate. There appears to be inaccurate information available from all kinds of sides and regarding important things like footprints, timings and so on. I still feel like this is most likely an assault or accident but that is basically irrelevant given the inaccuracy I feel that I have found in so much of the information.

I do have a few thoughts but I do not fully trust the accuracy of the information available so I am going to refrain from posting them. Thank you for reading.

 

[IDK]

I am so glad to see the renewed interest in Amy’s case. A few years ago I read all the posts on previous threads that were available at the time. There was one poster who seemed to constantly try to disrupt the thread and I wondered if she was an employee of the cruise line. It’s in their interest for Amy’s disappearance to be either an accidental occurrence, or by Amy’s own hand in some way.

I really need to go back and review the details. There is still a website with lots of information, but I don’t think I can post a link here. Last post was in 2018 though. Includes a “wall of shame” that is also interesting.

 

[ex-stat]

Royal Caribbean will want to protect Royal Caribbean and the family will want to protect the family.

It saddens me to see inaccurate information banded about as fact and although I usually expect it, I think it is pretty horrific with regard to this. Obviously something happened but as to what exactly happened I do not know.

I am glad that there is interest in the case too.