American Woman Raped And Killed On Caribbean Island After She And Husband Were Attacked By Man With Sword
An American woman was raped and murdered while on the Caribbean island of Grenada vacationing with her husband. The 39-year-old Georgia woman and her husband were attacked by a man with a sword. The husband survived the brutal attack.
The American woman and her husband were enjoying the first day of their Caribbean island vacation when the man with the sword reportedly approached. The Georgia couple was strolling along the beach enjoying the sunshine about half a mile from other beachgoers on Grenada island when the rape and murder occurred.
The island is often referred to as “Spice Island” due the massive amount of nutmeg and other spice exports which stem from the area. The woman’s body was found just a few miles from the island capital of St. George’s on Sunday. The rape and murder victim and her husband had arrived at the La Sagesse luxury resort on Saturday evening.
American woman, 39, ‘brutally raped and murdered on island of Grenada’ https://t.co/JJbBb3EsaX via @MailOnline
— jackie stuart (@auldcove) January 25, 2016
After the American woman was raped and killed on the popular Caribbean beach, law enforcement officers sealed off the area and searched through the surrounding undergrowth for the man with a sword, the Daily Mail reports. The SpiceIslander website states that the man with a sword attacked the couple around 11:30 a.m.
Sue Hardy, a British journalist, was on vacation and near the scene where the rape and murder had occurred on a remote section of the beach. Hardy said that she has been to the Grenada island beach many times before, but she stays away from the secluded section of beach tourists can only reach by walking through a mangrove path because she felt “spooked” there in the past.
“There were about thirty of us on the beach including little children and people were getting a bit nervous and edgy because it was obvious something serious had happened. After about 100 yards through this somewhat dark swampy area, you come out on to another beach which is totally deserted. No-one can see you there – but of course nobody can see if anyone attacks you there.”
Hardy went on to say that the American woman was described as “very beautiful” by La Sagesse staff, who also noticed her husband appeared to be significantly older due to his gray hair.
“Beach on La Sagesse Bay, Caribbean, Grenada” ??? https://t.co/S30uTII8Pq ??? #SunKuWriter pic.twitter.com/Lr929i8Lvl
— Filipe Moura (@SunKuWriter) January 17, 2016
How the husband of the rape victim was able to escape from the man with a sword remains unclear. It appears he ran for help and resort staffers called the police. Some ran to the deserted beach area, but it was too late to save the American woman. The suspect is reportedly an inmate who was just recently released from prison.
The cause of death has not yet been released to the public. Some tourists who were on the beach when the police arrived told the media that the American woman’s body was found along the waterline. The husband does not appear to have run back to the scene of the attack with hotel staff. The extent of his injuries and current health status remains unknown. Hardy also noted that loud screams and cries were heard coming from the Caribbean hotel when the staff returned, indicating to witnesses the husband had been informed of his wife’s death.
The Grenada island St. David area where the rape and murder occurred, is home to roughly 100,000 residents but is just 21 miles long. A significant number of British ex-pats are reportedly known to call Spice Island home. In addition to spice cultivation and exports, tourism is the mainstay of the local economy. Approximately four cruise ship stop at the St. George’s port on any given day.
[Photo by David McFadden/AP]
