In a recent development, one of the three Caribbean prison escapees accused of hijacking a yacht belonging to a retired American couple was shot during his arrest on the island of St. Vincent, while the other two were discovered hiding in bushes, as per local reports.
The three suspects, identified as Ron Mitchell, 30, Trevon Robertson, 19, and Abita Stanislaus, 25, were ordered by the judge during Monday's court appearance to be returned to Grenada "as soon as practicable."
Robertson, who was shot by the police, allegedly attempted to seize an officer's firearm, as reported by Searchlight and other local media outlets. He refuted these allegations, reportedly stating to the judge, "I never wrestle with no officer. The officer throw me on the ground and just shoot me on me foot, you understand? I never wrestle with no police, you understand?"
The Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force, responsible for the arrest, did not respond to Fox News Digital's requests for comment. The Royal Grenada Police Force, on the other hand, stated that they are still investigating the incident's details and are awaiting the suspects' return to the island.
Mitchell and Stanislaus, the other two suspects, were found concealed in bushes in Spring Village and were taken into custody without any incident, as reported by Searchlight.
The trio is accused of escaping from a Grenada prison, hijacking a yacht owned by Ralph Hendry and Kathy Brandel, a retired couple from Virginia, and throwing them overboard as they fled to the island of St. Vincent, located approximately 70 miles away.
A video shared with Fox News Digital by Mike Hutchinson, a seasoned journalist in Grenada, shows one of the men, bloodied and handcuffed, being thrown into the back of a police truck by an officer. The Royal Grenada Police Force confirmed that the suspect in the footage is linked to the hijacked vessel.
The prison escapees have not yet been charged in connection with the hijacking of the American's yacht or the presumed deaths of the couple.
The yacht, discovered in a dilapidated state and stained with blood, was moored off Grand Anse Beach in Grenada, a popular tourist destination where the couple had sailed to. The couple's bodies have not been found, and jurisdictional issues are still being resolved, according to the Royal Grenada Police Force, which stated that it is unclear whether crimes were committed in Grenadian waters or St. Vincent waters.
The three suspects pleaded guilty to immigration-related charges in a St. Vincent court and are expected to arrive in Grenada this week, as per police reports.
The Caribbean islands, which attracted 221,000 visitors in 2022 according to Statista, are popular tourist destinations and a haven for avid boaters like Brandel and Hendry. The couple from Virginia sold most of their possessions to live on their boat after retirement, as revealed by their sons Nick Buro and Bryan Hendry in previous interviews.
In a heartfelt message released to news outlets last week, Buro and Bryan Hendry said, "Ralph and Kathy lived a life that most of us can only dream of." They described their parents' adventurous life sailing off the eastern coast of the United States on their yacht, "Simplicity," and making friends everywhere they went.
Authorities have not provided any updates on the internal investigation into the prisoners' escape or the criminal investigation. However, Buro and Bryan Hendry's message focused on their parents as these issues unravel.
Fox News Digital's Bonny Chu contributed to this report.
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