FL FL - Isabella Hellmann, 41, catamaran off Cay Sal, SE of the FL Keys, 14 May 2017 #1 *GUILTY*

[JerseyGirl]

I thought I read somewhere the boat was from Australia?
.

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority says the 1986 Fountaine Pajot Orana 44 lists Sydney as its home port. Antoine Lebreton, a French national, included in an online résumé that he’d gone to St. Maarten, on the Dutch side of the Caribbean island of St. Martin, from November to December of 2013 to help Bennett refit the vessel, then called the Asteria.

“He’s a very nice guy,” Lebreton said this month by cellphone. He said the two talked once or twice a year and he met Hellmann when Bennett came to St. Maarten to buy the boat.

Government officials in St. Maarten said they do not keep a log of boat sales. But in the October 2016 edition of the magazine “All At Sea Caribbean,” an ad for The Yacht Shop, a retailer with locations in St. Maarten and Toronto, listed a testimonial from Bennett saying staff “provided me with all the information to make a confident and informed purchase — sight unseen.” A call to that store was not returned.

An email inquiry to the maker, France-based Fountaine Pajot, was not returned.But a 2012 brochure by Multihull Solutions, an Australia-based broker, says the boat “is ideal for high-performance ocean sailing.” Affiniti Yacht Brokerage, in Broward County, told The Post the catamaran probably would sell for $50,000 to $60,000.

The web page for a boating enthusiasts’ rally called the Pacific Puddle Jump says that in 2014, Bennett and the Asteria were scheduled to make an ambitious sail from St. Maarten to the Galapagos. Organizers say records don’t indicate if a person makes the sailing.

The next mention of the boat is on Mother’s Day 2017.

http://rare.us/rare-news/a-womans-m...-all-eyes-are-on-her-husband-of-three-months/

 

[Blondie in Spokane]

Odd one from a few years back, Jon Hemingway between the mainland & Nantucket:

http://www.websleuths.com/forums/sh...Nantucket-17-March-2010-1&highlight=nantucket


Might ring some bells for readers here....

Thank u Laughing - I remember that case well. I was trying to remember his name yesterday as the cases are very similar. Another sad story & tragic loss.

 

[Blondie in Spokane]

SABBM

Good point !
And here we are asking this question again--- WHO saw her last outside of immediate family ?
Like the case with Anna M.

A link up thread from today mentioned that neighbors hadn't seen her at the home for several weeks - it seems like they said sometime in April I believe.

 

[Blondie in Spokane]

I am English and yes we are stoic but that remark he made was cold hearted.

Welcome silverjug! Yes, I agree, his remark came off as very cold.

 

[LietKynes]

A link up thread from today mentioned that neighbors hadn't seen her at the home for several weeks - it seems like they said sometime in April I believe.

RSBM

???????

WHO was watching the baby ? Just him ? Didn't he have to go to work ?
And then (out of the blue) they decide to take a boat trip ?

Or maybe she was just hanging out with her own relatives ??
Thinking out loud.

 

[Hiandmighty]

Odd one from a few years back, Jon Hemingway between the mainland & Nantucket:

http://www.websleuths.com/forums/sh...Nantucket-17-March-2010-1&highlight=nantucket


Might ring some bells for readers here....

I have been reading and link clicking over there ever since you posted it! No where near done

 

[cbeagle]

I read he has a Temporary passport but he can't leave the country for a while.

This seems strange, what's the purpose of a passport that cannot be used?

If it's issued by UKG then why would it have any US restrictions on it?

 

[inmyhumbleopinion]

This seems strange, what's the purpose of a passport that cannot be used?

If it's issued by UKG then why would it have any US restrictions on it?

Had the same thought. Wouldn't he still be allowed to return to the UK? Also, he is a a dual British-Australian citizen, so Australia may be an option as well. I still need to look into this.

The US does have extradition treaties with both Australia and the UK:
https://www.state.gov/s/l/treaty/faqs/70138.htm

ETA: As to the alleged U.S. restrictions, I am not going to believe a word that comes out of the mouth of Mr. Bennett at this point. I could be completely wrong, but I wouldn't be surprised if he has been involved in a similar incident in the past in another country, perhaps even benefiting financially in the process. In one of the articles I read, the writer used the word "enigmatic" to describe Mr. Bennett's past. Shady or sketchy is more like it, IMO.

 

[cbeagle]

Had the same thought. Wouldn't he still be allowed to return to the UK?

UK only has an emergency travel document, whose purpose is to travel back to the UK.

https://www.gov.uk/emergency-travel-document

 

[JerseyGirl]

Hellman’s last Facebook post was on May 2nd from Isla de Culebra in Puerto Rico, where she wrote: “Another day in paradise.”

___

Bennett is from the West Country and went to the Camborne School of Mines in Falmouth, Cornwall.

http://www.express.co.uk/news/world/810719/isabella-hellman-missing-fbi-florida-lewis-bennett

 

[redabby]

I'm British and quite reserved .
This individual just come across to me as someone who doesn't care about the probably deceased lady , or the possibly irritating daughter.
I am guessing this won't pan out as just an accident

 

[Mercedes]

I am English and yes we are stoic but that remark he made was cold hearted.

:welcome: to Websleuths. We are glad to have you here and appreciate your comments.

 

[Elainera]

Just joining this case, have read the whole thread. I'm on the fence, leaning towards foul play.

Look at his hands in the picture JerseyGirl posted (quoted below). Totally closed up, fist clenched ... something was not right in this relationship imo.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...stigating-case-newlywed-went-missing-sea.html

Coast Guard refused to comment on whether foul play had been ruled out.

She was keeping watch. You take turns, one sleeps and one keeps watch.

It is nearly impossible to find someone in open water when on a moving boat in the daytime. Very impossible at night...

The boat has marks on it

No, not even the incredible hulk could flip over a boat like that.

bbm - then what did?

I'm stumped the boat has not been turned over and searched. She might be in there. Maybe she went below for the toilet when it struck something, and hit her head.

More likely though she's at the bottom of the ocean ... imo.

Possible that she went overboard long before (and far away) the boat struck something, and that's why neither husband nor searches could find her.

Will be interesting to follow.

 

[LaneGirl]

Just joining this case, have read the whole thread. I'm on the fence, leaning towards foul play.

Look at his hands in the picture JerseyGirl posted (quoted below). Totally closed up, fist clenched ... something was not right in this relationship imo.






bbm - then what did?

I'm stumped the boat has not been turned over and searched. She might be in there. Maybe she went below for the toilet when it struck something, and hit her head.

More likely though she's at the bottom of the ocean ... imo.

Possible that she went overboard long before (and far away) the boat struck something, and that's why neither husband nor searches could find her.

Will be interesting to follow.

I can't imagine the FBI are involved and they haven't searched the hull. I'm just bouncing off your post not directing anything at you

 

[DocBrew]

Strange set of circumstances. Subscribed.

 

[Detective Willy]

Foul play seems probable. Lots of things don't add up but proving it may be difficult.

 

[Detective Willy]

Photo looks recent too with baby in the background. She does not look happy at all to me. No wedding ring on either.

 

[Rweikel]

Photo looks recent too with baby in the background. She does not look happy at all to me. No wedding ring on either.

I thought the same about her expression.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Elainera]

If she had a vest on and went overboard as her husband said, how long would she be floating? I know she most likely would not be alive anymore now but would she still be floating? How long do these vests keep inflated?

 

[msphilosopher]

I'm starting to see this is boiling down to $$$...

- Lavish / frequent traveling = $$
- Bought Condo in Delray Beach = $$$$
- Remodeling apartment = $$$
- Baby = $$$$
- Boat = $$$
- Wedding / Ring = $$$
- Missing expensive items from apartment.... ?

None of these things individually raise a red flag, however all of them together within a short period of time (expect the boat purchase in 2013) is a red flag. Also, these expenses wouldn't raise a red flag for me if I saw a significant income to support the lavish spending but I don't. Bennet's wealth and career is a big question mark. Isabella may have been a successful realtor and made lots of money but recently went to part time to take care of the baby and hence her comment of blowing through her savings.

I get the feeling that one was supporting the other which would be more $$$ on top of the other expenses. Perhaps Bennet makes his money in the UK or Australia which is why he wanted Isabella to move that way. I am only speculating but if that's the case (which seems likely since he is not a US citizen), then it was probably also expensive for him to travel back and forth to his ties over seas back to his new family in FL.

All JMO!!