A spokesperson for the US Virgin Islands Police Department has told a local news outlet that “There is no further development in this investigation and [it] has been referred to the Attorney General’s Office.” They are referring to missing woman Sarm Heslop, who vanished from her boyfriend’s catamaran in St John, USVI on Monday 8 March 2021.
Brenda Street and Peter Heslop, Sarm’s parents have appointed David Johnston QPM, former Commander of Homicide and Serious Crime at Metropolitan Police, as the family’s official liaison, however the USVIPD have not contacted the family with this latest development. “We have, of course, written to the USVIPD to ask for an update following this reference to Sarm’s case being referred to the Attorney General,” says Mr Johnston “We have received no response. We seek clarification on exactly what this means for the investigation. Why has it been referred to the Attorney General? We have asked the UK’s Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office and Governor Albert Bryan to support us.”
“It’s appalling that the USVIPD would share this kind of information with a local news outlet instead of properly updating Sarm’s family.” the group of friends behind #FindSarm said. “Once again, it shows a total lack of respect for her grieving family and friends. We have been living in this agony for so long now that we hardly allow ourselves to hope for a breakthrough that will lead to a conclusion of this nightmare, so for the VIPD to callously allude to progress without explaining to the family exactly what is happening leads us to believe they aren’t really doing anything. It’s likely they’re just trying to take some of the heat off themselves.”
At the time of her disappearance, Sarm was living and working on her boyfriend, Ryan Bane’s catamaran which was moored in Frank’s Bay on the island of St John. The couple had dined in the 420 to Center bar and returned to the catamaran, Siren Song, shortly before 10pm to comply with covid-19 curfew regulations. CCTV footage showing the couple walking back to their dinghy was never released to the public.
Mr Bane was the last person to see Sarm before she vanished, leaving all her possessions including her phone, wallet and passport on board. Ryan Bane called the police at 2.30am the night that Sarm went missing but waited until 11.46am that day to call the Coast Guards. Mr Bane has never been formally interviewed by police and no forensic search of the boat, Siren Song, was ever carried out.
Sarm is described as 5 feet 8 Caucasian female of slim build. She has a bright coloured tattoo on her left shoulder featuring a seahorse, bird, butterfly and a pink flower.
A reward for anyone with information that leads to a significant breakthrough in the case is offered and anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of Sarm is urged to call Crime Stoppers USVI at (800) 222-TIPS
Interview requests should be directed to [email protected]
A GoFundMe page has been set up to support Sarm’s family: https://gofund.me/f25712dd
Further materials approved for use by the press: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1GPu_weOA2TtOdDCLt_KCaJLU7Mniblbh?usp=sharing