ST. GEORGE’S, Grenada, Jul 28, CMC -Grenada police Tuesday said that they remain hopeful that their search for a 44-year-old American national, Elizabeth Waddell, reported missing since July 22 on the southwest coast of the island, will be successful and appealed for public assistance in locating her.
“The Royal Grenada Police Force remains equally hopeful that she will be safe and that she is safe, and we continue to appeal for cooperation to us. Any bit of information will do at this time, and we do hope that we can locate Elizabeth very soon,” Police Commissioner Randy Connaught told a news conference.
“Again, we empathise with the family, relatives, and friends, and we are hopeful that Elizabeth will be found alive,” she added.
Connaught said that the police have “not reached or announced any final conclusion regarding the circumstances surrounding Mrs. Waddell’s missing person status.
“ At this time, the matter continues to be treated as a missing person investigation. I repeat, at this time, the matter continues to be treated as a missing person investigation. We appeal to anyone who may have information relevant to this investigation to come forward and contact the Royal Grenada Police Force.
“No information should be considered too minor, as it may assist investigators when examined alongside other information already received. We ask members of the public and the media to rely on the Royal Grenada Police Force as the official source of information concerning this matter. ”
Connaught said that the police are continuing to monitor the regional threat assessment provided by their regional partners and are assured of their continued support in analysing threats posed by regional and international actors “that may have implications on our national security”.
He said regarding the missing American national, she arrived here from Miami on July 11 on board American Airlines flight 1546. He said she was accompanied by a female friend.
According to the Police Commissioner, during the first 10 days of their visit, they stayed at a resort on the western side of the island and on July 21, they relocated to another accommodation in the south of the island.
Connaught said the following day, surveillance footage recorded Mrs. Waddell as walking towards the jetty.
“She later sat on the sand near the jetty. At 11.46 (am), she was seen on the jetty. She removed her towel and remained dressed in her swimwear. At 11.51 a.m., she entered the water and 12.04 p.m., she was seen swimming beneath the jetty.”
Connaught said that about half an hour later, her travelling companion was seen walking towards the jetty and later returned alone.
“Mrs. Waddell was not seen on surveillance footage returning from the water. Investigators have also received several eyewitness accounts indicating that she was seen swimming in the open water.”
He said at around 5.50 p.m., her travelling partner reported Mrs. Waddell missing to the south St. George Police Station and that report triggered an immediate police response, including an initial search of the premises, the surroundings, shoreline, and desperate searches of all of the areas in and around that resort.
The top cop said that on Thursday, July 23, the Royal Grenada Police Force issued a public missing person alert seeking information from the general public and from persons operating within Grenada’s coastal and marine environment.
“The investigation is proceeding along a number of connected lines of enquiry. Investigators have obtained and reviewed available surveillance footage. Witnesses have been identified and interviewed. Investigators are reconstructing Mrs. Waddell’s movements leading up to the time she was reported missing.”
The Police Commissioner said that relevant locations have been examined and reported sight scenes continues to be assessed.
He said information obtained from the general public was also recorded, evaluated, and assigned for investigation and that enquiries have been made with the relevant persons and entities, and those enquiries are ongoing.
“Digital material, photographs, and video recordings obtained from persons within the relevant area are being reviewed. The investigative team is also examining whether any person, vessel, or vehicle moved to the relevant locations during this critical period,” Connaught said, adding that “all information received is being assessed alongside the established timelines, available surveillance footage, witness accounts, and the findings from each search operation.
He said this process is intended to develop “a clear and accurate account of Mrs. Waddell’s movements” and that searches have been conducted by the Grenada Coast Guard, local dive professionals as well as well as the RGPF Drone Unit.
The Police Commissioner said that the husband of Mrs. Waddell arrived in Grenada last Friday “and based on information provided to our investigators, further searches were conducted”.
He said that the police have also been in contact with the principal officer of the United States Embassy here in Grenada, Cindy Dioff, in relation to the ongoing investigations.
He said that as part of the international cooperation, the FBI regional office has also been contacted and provided with a summary of the circumstances surrounding the investigations, with a view to obtaining its assistance in developing a better understanding of the background of Mrs Waddell.
“This assistance is particularly relevant given the fact that Ms. Waddell is a United States citizen and is not known in Grenada outside of a visit to Grenada. This engagement forms part of the wider cooperation being maintained with relevant local, regional, and international partners to establish official channels.”
CMC/nb/ir/2026