Found Deceased Dominican Republic - Orlando Moore & Portia Ravenelle, from NY on vacation, April 2019

[castilloisno1]

New York couple vacationing in Dominican Republic presumed dead, police say has image of the car at one of the toll plazas

 

[Vern]

She doesn’t sound like a woman that’s going to speed on the freeway at night with no
Seatbelt and the window open. Especially with her fear of carjackers

Well, they had drank a bottle of rum with their2 friends prior to leaving and I'm not sure who was actually driving, added in with the fact that they were running late enough to be on the verge of actually missing their flight. It's a possibility IMO.

And, if the car did roll over prior to her being ejected/coming out, a window possibly broke out vice being open.

 

[castilloisno1]

I'm not certain that they did drive themselves from the airport to the resort. One of the articles states that they rented the car for three days - specifically so they could get back to the airport for the flight out. Now, if they were only spending three days at the resort maybe, but I'm thinking that most go for like 1 week jaunts no?

Perhaps the resort in question doesn't have transportation service for that 0130 flight? Or any transportation service?

They were only going for 4 days. NY Couple Vanishes While on Vacation in the Caribbean Orlando Moore and his girlfriend, Portia Ravenelle, flew out of Newark Liberty International Airport on March 23 for a getaway in the Dominican Republic. They were supposed to return home to Mount Vernon on March 27.

 

[margarita25]

(Still catching up, sorry for rehash, making some notes:

They were going to the airport in Santiago

American tourists disappear after leaving hotel en route to airport in the Dominican Republic: report

Marking:

“It is unclear which airport they were due to fly home from and how far it was from their hotel. There is an airport in Samana that offers mostly seasonal flights to the island, mainly from Europe. The next closest airport in the area is the Cibao International Airport in Santiago, which offers daily flights to and from the U.S.

The State Department’s travel advisoryfor the Dominican Republic – issued on Feb. 12, 2019 – said tourists should exercise increased caution due to crime.”
—-

New York couple vacationing in Dominican Republic presumed dead, police say has image of the car at one of the toll plazas

“Police said the car is at the bottom of the Caribbean Sea and has not been retrieved.”

Wow, this is from Wikipedia, a description of the highway they would have been travelling, as it approaches the airport

"This portion of DR-3 (specifically when traveling eastbound) is also very dangerous due to its proximity to the Caribbean Sea, and has been the cause of many fatal slip-off accidents; this problem is yet to be addressed by the Dominican authorities."
DR-3 - Wikipedia, section on the Autopista de las Americas.

“...this problem is yet to be addressed by the Dominican authorities."

—-
Timeline notes:
“On March 27, a woman was found injured on the highway and was admitted to a hospital, where she died on April 4, according to Dominican Republic national police chief spokesman Col. Frank Félix Durán Mejia.”
New York couple vacationing in Dominican Republic presumed dead, police say

Further quotes with timeline data:

They were only going for 4 days. NY Couple Vanishes While on Vacation in the Caribbean Orlando Moore and his girlfriend, Portia Ravenelle, flew out of Newark Liberty International Airport on March 23 for a getaway in the Dominican Republic. They were supposed to return home to Mount Vernon on March 27.

“Mejia also said a decomposed body was found washed ashore March 31 about 19 miles from the accident scene”
New York couple vacationing in Dominican Republic presumed dead, police say

 

[Vern]

New York couple vacationing in Dominican Republic presumed dead, police say has image of the car at one of the toll plazas

They're both in there; and the window is down as the elbow is clearly resting on the rim of the door. Perhaps they didn't roll it up after exiting the toll.

 

[Vern]

They were only going for 4 days. NY Couple Vanishes While on Vacation in the Caribbean Orlando Moore and his girlfriend, Portia Ravenelle, flew out of Newark Liberty International Airport on March 23 for a getaway in the Dominican Republic. They were supposed to return home to Mount Vernon on March 27.

OK, so not a week, but that's still 5 days on the ground with the car rental for 3 apparently. Hmmmm. I have to google this resort.

 

[Vern]

Marking:

“It is unclear which airport they were due to fly home from and how far it was from their hotel. There is an airport in Samana that offers mostly seasonal flights to the island, mainly from Europe. The next closest airport in the area is the Cibao International Airport in Santiago, which offers daily flights to and from the U.S.

...

“Police said the car is at the bottom of the Caribbean Sea and has not been retrieved.”
...

RSBM.

The Canuk couple stated in their article that they were flying out of Santo Domingo. 2 hours 20 minutes from their resort. That also fits with the local police statement of the toll booth photo location and crash site off the highway. They were within 10 miles of Santo Domingo airport on the southern part of the island when the accident happened.

Same article states that the seas are too rough for them to get in and retrieve the car at this point.

So sad.

 

[margarita25]

RSBM.

The Canuk couple stated in their article that they were flying out of Santo Domingo. 2 hours 20 minutes from their resort. That also fits with the local police statement of the toll booth photo location and crash site off the highway. They were within 10 miles of Santo Domingo airport on the southern part of the island when the accident happened.

Same article states that the seas are too rough for them to get in and retrieve the car at this point.

So sad.

Thank you, Vern.

 

[Vern]

Thank you, Vern.

Mo problem. I see you're busily catching up. The car is submerged near where Portia was found along the highway with her severe head injuries. I'll go back a couple pages as someone already posted the name of the specific place it's submerged as the police chief named it.

 

[Satchie]

This video drives along a bit of the highway, not sure where exactly, of course, but gives a general idea. A very modern freeway. ETA, in some spots there's a low concrete barrier.

 

[Vern]

The specific place the car is at is known as "The Blender" as the police Chief called it and as posted earlier by acutename. Area known for having many "slip offs"/accidents. Trying to actually locate that on a map now.

NY - NY - Orlando Moore & Portia Ravenelle - couple disappears during vacation in the Dominican Republic

 

[margarita25]

This video drives along a bit of the highway, not sure where exactly, of course, but gives a general idea. A very modern freeway. ETA, in some spots there's a low concrete barrier.

Thank you.

The ocean (and it’s roads) can be dark at night.

How bright was the moon that night I wonder? When bright, the moon can light up the dark ocean. Moo.

I don't know, but what I'm wondering is if there is a missing person case, wouldn't hospitals be contacted to see if there are any Jane or John Does?

I feel terrible for the family searching for the couple and one of them was in the hospital for days. How was that missed?

jmo

I’m wondering about this as well.

Sorry if mentioned, what is the location of the hospital where she was? Was it within the jurisdiction or was it, as our Dear Late Great @Foxfire would say, “jurisdictional blindness”?

But I would imagine the US Embassy would have been notified and would have responded? They should have special investigative officers for that...
How far is the US Embassy from all this?

ETA:
U.S. Embassy in the Dominican Republic.

 

[Appalonia]

I’m still catching up. Forgive me if this is a repost.

Missing New York Couple’s Bodies May Have Been Found Days Ago, Dominican Republic Officials Say

 

[margarita25]

I’m still catching up. Forgive me if this is a repost.

Missing New York Couple’s Bodies May Have Been Found Days Ago, Dominican Republic Officials Say

From above, marking hospital location:

“The woman, who didn’t have identification, was transported to the intensive care unit at the Doctor Dario Contreras Hospital and died eight days later, on April 4.”

Appears to be a major hospital:
Hospital Docente Universitario Dr. Dario Contreras - Inicio

Location:
Calle Club Rotario, Santo Domingo Este 11503, Dominican Republic

 

[ilovechili]

How could CNN have even written that article? It makes no sense.

It did not make any logical sense at all, I agree. I am still catching up maybe it will become clearer because after this first article, all it does is create more questions.

 

[HayLouise]

Authorities in the Dominican Republic may have found the bodies of a New York couple that went missing the day they were set to return from a short Caribbean vacation.



BREAKING: Bodies found in search for American tourists missing in the Caribbean

 

[ilovechili]

This video drives along a bit of the highway, not sure where exactly, of course, but gives a general idea. A very modern freeway. ETA, in some spots there's a low concrete barrier.

I don't know. First, there is more than one lane so one would not even need to be near the ocean side. Second, I see absolutely nothing that would cause her to be ejected from the car near the roadside before the car goes downhill.

The car is at the bottom of the Caribbean they say in the one article but he floated out. Was his ID and wallet on him?

I am sure there will be tox screenings but I will say this much, splitting a bottle of rum does not mean they had much to drink, the other couple could have drank most of it, and one may not even have had any. This is an all inclusive resort, it is "free", they could have had their own bottle or drinks but did not need to most likely as they were leaving. The other couple likely finished the bottle and/or took it back to their room as they were staying. They were almost through their lengthy trip on a possibly dark road pretty unknown to them--I think if very intoxicated, they would have likely had issues driving long before then--they also had to check in and through the airport.

She was noted to be concerned throughout the day, calling the rental company, her daughter and talking to various people about the drive and her concerns. I just do not see her at least drinking too much (yet I could be wrong) nor wanting him to. She was warned about not stopping for people and I am sure told to keep doors locked and windows up if I recall. He may have had to open his window at the toll booth but they would have then shut it just based on that alone.

They were found separately, she at the top and he at the bottom? No car and no ID, belongings, etc. thus far. What do you pay with at toll booths in the Dominican? Cash, credit?

She was alive and in the hospital for four days? Hospitals do not report Jane Does to the police there? They do not try to match Jane Does to those missing? She is dying, they do not do a news article trying to find out who she is or again, contact authorities?

Just questions. If they realize they are going to be late or possibly, she was probably calling the airport. When in Mexico, we had a planeload of passengers that was not happy when the flight waited for a man way past departure time. Tourist destinations do not want missing people nor to make anyone unhappy (although the rest of the passengers were not tickled). He finally made it and I would dare say he was probably glared at quite often on the return flight.

Wondering about things is not far fetched. There have been many incidents in foreign countries and on cruise ships even, and those that depend on tourism especially, that just never seem to quite have the answers that add up. It is early though, maybe more answers will come although I would not bet on it.

If this woman was ejected at the road, what ejected her? If this was a stretch known to be worrisome I think it would have been mentioned to them in all of her concern that day to be careful there on the drive and I will bet she mapped the journey more than once. Watching the video, I don't know, I don't see a lot of curves, there are many lanes and at that time of night I doubt it would be all that busy.

They do not yet have fingerprints or confirmation. The bodies were found separately at different times apparently. No ID and no car. Who saw the car go in or in the ocean? Was that reported did they say by fishermen? Were pictures captured by the fishermen and LE called at the time, that is a pretty big deal.

I simply have many questions. The families likely have even more.

I feel so sorry for their children and families.

 

[Plo_Koon]

From above, marking hospital location:

“The woman, who didn’t have identification, was transported to the intensive care unit at the Doctor Dario Contreras Hospital and died eight days later, on April 4.”

Appears to be a major hospital:
Hospital Docente Universitario Dr. Dario Contreras - Inicio

Location:
Calle Club Rotario, Santo Domingo Este 11503, Dominican Republic

IMO, assuming here she would have had some sort of identification in the car with her as wouldn't she need it to get back into the states, right?

 

[MOTORUNNER]

not the outcome we were hoping for at all. I just hope it was a tragic accident and no foul play involved. So incredibly sad, my thoughts go out to all of those involved and their families.

 

[Inthedetails]

This video drives along a bit of the highway, not sure where exactly, of course, but gives a general idea. A very modern freeway. ETA, in some spots there's a low concrete barrier.

Seeing how close the road is to the water and knowing the stretch is known for accidents, I do think they died in a late-night accident while rushing to the airport.

I'm concerned, though, that a woman was in the hospital for four days DURING the search for Portia and Orlando. LE and the hospitals do not communicate?! Not okay.

jmo