Three men who previously escaped from jail in Grenada and hijacked a couple's yacht to sail to St. Vincent have each pleaded guilty to four immigration-related charges. The American couple, Ralph Hendry, a 66-year-old financial advisor, and Kathy Brendel, a retired real estate agent who would have turned 71, had been sailing in the Caribbean when they suddenly stopped communicating with family on Feb. 18. Authorities presume them dead as their bodies have not been recovered.

The three escapees, Trevon Robertson, 19, Abita Stanislaus, 25, and Ron Mitchell, 30, who were re-arrested in Saint Vincent, have not been formally charged in the disappearance of the couple. However, a source close to the investigation claimed that two of the men confessed to killing the couple.

Evidence consistent with signs of violence was found on the hijacked boat, the SV Simplicity, which was abandoned in St. Vincent with blood visible on the deck. The entire interior of the vessel and its decks were ransacked, indicating a violent altercation.

Mitchell, one of the escapees, was previously charged with rape, attempted rape, indecent assault, and causing harm. He, along with the other two inmates, had pleaded guilty to the immigration-related charges and is scheduled for sentencing on March 4.

Another inmate, Levon Date, charged in the killing of a Canadian citizen in 2023, escaped from the Grenville Magistrate Court and is currently on the run. Authorities advise that Date should be considered armed and dangerous.

The American couple's disappearance has left their community shocked and saddened. The case remains under investigation, as the families and authorities seek justice for Ralph Hendry and Kathy Brendel.