Three men suspected in disappearance of U.S. couple after hijacking their catamaran appear in court

(4 Mar 2024) RESTRICTION SUMMARY: ASSOCIATED PRESS Kingstown, St. Vincent and the Grenadines - 4 March 2024 1. Wide of police car with suspect Atiba Stanislaus sitting in the back of a pick-up truck, arriving at courthouse then being escorted by armed police 2. Armed police officer looking on with truck door open, then closing it 3. Suspect Ron Mitchell (man in blue pants) exiting vehicle, flanked by armed police, being escorted into building 4. Suspect Trevon Robertson (man in green pants) walking into court house 5. Continuous shot of armed police officer opening door as the suspects are escorted to the pick-up truck before they are driven away ASSOCIATED PRESS: ARCHIVE: - Coastguard Service Calliaqua Base, in Calliaqua, St. Vincent., St. Vincent and the Grenadines - 24 February 2024 6. Various of guard officials on Simplicity boat 7. Relatives guarded by officials boarding the Simplicity yacht 8. Close of Simplicity yacht name STORYLINE: Three men from Grenada suspected in the disappearance of a U.S. couple whose catamaran was hijacked were ordered deported from St. Vincent on Monday. The men, Trevon Robertson, a 19-year-old unemployed man; Abita Stanislaus, a 25-year-old farmer; and Ron Mitchell, a 30-year-old sailor; had pleaded guilty to immigration charges in a court in the eastern Caribbean island of St. Vincent. Senior Magistrate Colin John ordered that they be repatriated “as soon as practicable.” The men had escaped from a police holding cell in Grenada on Feb. 18 and are suspected of hijacking the catamaran while Ralph Hendry and Kathy Brandel were aboard. Police have said they believe the couple were thrown overboard as the suspects sailed to St. Vincent, where they were arrested on Feb. 21. They have not been charged in the case. The investigation is ongoing, with authorities noting there were signs of violence aboard the couple’s boat found abandoned in St. Vincent. The nonprofit Salty Dawg Sailing Association described Hendry and Brandel as “veteran cruisers” who participated in last year’s Caribbean Rally from Hampton, Virginia, to Antigua, and had planned to spend the winter cruising in the eastern Caribbean. AP video by Kenton Chance =========================================================== Clients are reminded to adhere to all listed restrictions and to check the terms of their licence agreements. For further assistance, please contact the AP Archive on: Tel +44(0)2074827482 Email: [email protected]. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...