A troubling new development has emerged in the disappearance of Elizabeth Waddell — and it’s raising more questions than answers.
WHAT HAPPENED?
Husband of missing North Carolina mom Elizabeth Waddell makes stark ‘foul play’ admission after she vanished on vacation
THE husband of missing North Carolina mom Elizabeth ‘Liz’ Waddell has made a heartbreaking admission as the desperate search for her enters a second week.
Cailen Waddell said he now agrees with investigators over what they believe happened after his wife mysteriously disappeared while swimming during a Caribbean vacation.
Liz Waddell’s husband Cailen now believes no foul play occurredCredit: Courtesy of Amanda Romano-Harmon
The North Carolina mom vanished during a Caribbean vacationCredit: Courtesy of Amanda Romano-Harmon
In a statement posted to the family‘s FindLiz.com website on Wednesday, Cailen said: “After careful and thoughtful consultation with family, local authorities, the U.S. Embassy, and others here in Grenada, I join authorities in believing there was no foul play.”
Liz, 44, vanished on July 22 while on vacation in Grenada with a female friend.
She had traveled to Grenada from Miami on July 11, and was last seen near Grand Anse Beach in St. George’s after reportedly heading into the water alone.
The family also released surveillance footage from the Airbnb where Liz had been staying, along with a photo showing her leaving the property in an orange top and blue-and-white striped shorts.
She had traveled to Grenada from Miami on July 11, and was last seen near Grand Anse Beach in St. George’s after reportedly heading into the water alone.
The family also released surveillance footage from the Airbnb where Liz had been staying, along with a photo showing her leaving the property in an orange top and blue-and-white striped shorts.
Cailen said he believes those were the clothes she wore into the sea.
“Both of these clothing items were newer, so I don’t think we have pictures of her in them. To confirm, she was wearing this clothing in the water,” he wrote.
Despite the grim update, Grenada Police Commissioner Randy Connaught said investigators remain hopeful Liz will still be found.
As relatives begin returning home after joining the search, Cailen thanked those who had helped.
“As some friends and family begin returning home to start processing everything that has occurred, we want to thank our friends and family as well as the local authorities for their compassionate, and tireless efforts to locate Liz,” he wrote.
“I also want to thank the many friends, loved ones, and specifically every Grenadian we have encountered for their love, thoughts, vibes, energy, and prayers in response to this heartbreaking situation. At this time, I ask for privacy for my family and loved ones.”
Cailen and the couple’s daughter later travelled to Grenada to join the search, alongside other relatives and friends.
Before Wednesday’s statement, Cailen had pleaded on social media for his wife’s return, writing: “I expect nothing less than Liz’s safe return – so please [send] your love, light, thoughts, and prayers our way.”
Liz, 44, was last seen wearing blue-and-white striped shorts and burnt orange topCredit: Supplied
She went for a solo swim near her Airbnb, the Royal Grenada Police Force said in an updateCredit: WRAL News
The latest update comes after haunting surveillance footage captured what appears to be Liz’s final known movements before she disappeared.
The video released by police shows the physical therapist walking toward a jetty near the Airbnb at around 11.36am on July 22 before sitting in the sun for several minutes.
After laying down her towel, she is seen entering the water at 11.51am.
Footage later appears to show Liz swimming beneath the jetty at 12.04pm, while friends have said another camera captured her remaining in the water until she drifted out of view.
Investigators say she was never seen returning to shore.
At about 12.46pm, surveillance appears to show her friend leaving the Airbnb to look for her before returning alone.
Around 5.50pm that evening, Liz was reported missing, prompting what police described as an immediate response.
Commissioner Connaught has stressed detectives have not reached any final conclusions.
“At this time, the matter continues to be treated as a missing person investigation,” he said.
Authorities say the Grenada Coast Guard, divers and canine units have been searching the island’s southern coastline, while the FBI and the US Embassy have been alerted and stand ready to assist if requested.
Connaught urged anyone with information to come forward.
“Any bit of information will do at this time and we do hope that we can locate Elizabeth very soon,” he said.
