A private investigator hired by the family of missing British flight attendant Sarm Heslop say her boyfriend replaced the freezer on their catamaran after she disappeared in 2021.
Heslop, 41, was last seen alive three years ago after her and her boyfriend Ryan Bane, from Michigan, were spotted leaving a restaurant in the US Virgin Islands.
No suspects were wanted in connection with her disappearance and there seemed to be no explanation as to how the strong swimmer vanished.
Widespread searches for Heslop have turned up nothing and despite the mysterious circumstances of her disappearance police never searched the catamaran.
Speaking to Fox News, private investigator David Johnston, who is working the case on behalf of the Heslop family, said Bane had parts of the boat changed out following her disappearance.
Johnston told the outlet: ‘We know he went to Grenada afterwards and had the freezer replaced on the boat. Why? We know he had other parts of the forecabin replaced. Why?’
Heslop, 41, was last seen alive three years ago after her and her boyfriend Ryan Bane were spotted leaving a restaurant in the US Virgin Islands
Ryan Bane’s luxury 47-foot catamaran, named Siren Song, sits in Frank Bay on St. John in the US Virgin Islands
Ryan Bane, the US boat captain boyfriend of missing British woman Sarm Heslop, is seen here in a police mugshot in 2011 after attacking his ex-wife
Her parents, from Essex in England, believe their daughter was the victim of foul play and the case is not a missing person.
Bane had previously been convicted in 2011 of domestic violence against his wife at the time, Corie Stevenson.
Local police failed to get a search warrant for his catamaran, Siren Song, before Bane sailed it out of their jurisdiction and is said to have now sold it.
Johnston added: ‘Sarm likely is dead, and her death was untimely and could have been a murder. It could’ve been an accident, but no one will speak with us.’
According to the PI, he first offered to help with the case 18 months ago and reached out the Governor of the Virgin Islands and the Police Commissioner.
Johnston claims he has been unable to get results and says the two have stopped responding to the family and him.
He added: ‘I’ve been spun along for the last 15 months by the governor and [Police Commissioner] Ray Martinez, who said, ‘You’re welcome to come and look at the seat, but we’re not going to talk about the inquiry. It’s an active investigation, and we don’t discuss active investigations’.’
Johnston added: ‘At very minimum, Bane should have been interviewed under caution.
‘From my experience of 30 years of being a cop, he is a person of significant interest, and he has some questions to answer.
‘And until he does that, he should remain as the most likely suspect in her disappearance and possible death.’
Bane had been dating Heslop for eight months — seen here sitting aboard Siren Song, his yacht – and was on holiday with her when she went missing in March 2021
Bane (above) is the only person of interest in the case. He is pictured here on his boat in March 2021
Bane called emergency services at 2.30am on the night Miss Heslop disappeared. He said he was woken by the boat’s anchor alarm and found her missing.
He was told to call the Coast Guard agents but did not until nine hours later. He has since refused requests to co-operate with authorities.
Under US law Bane is classified as ‘a person of interest’ as he was the last person to see Miss Heslop.
But he is not classified as a suspect and officers need to show a probable cause’ for a search warrant.
The US Coast Guard and the Virgin Islands Police Department previously said Bane refused them permission to search his 47ft catamaran.
When the officials boarded, Mr Bane is reported to have stood in a doorway and told them they could not enter. He was handed a citation, which does not result in a criminal record.
A missing poster is seen here after Heslop went missing on March 8 2021 on the Virgin Islands
Three years on from Heslop’s disappearance, her mother still looking for answers from the police
Lawyers representing Bane had previously said he was ‘devastated’ over the disappearance of Heslop.
Brenda Street, the mother of Heslop, told The People newspaper earlier this week that she believes her daughter was murdered.
Speaking to the outlet, Street said: ‘I don’t believe Sarm just went missing. I believe she was murdered. I want justice for her.’
After three years without answers, Street says she feels ‘let down’ by police on the Caribbean tourist hotspot and ‘hatred’ for Bane, whom she accuses of not doing enough to help find her daughter.
Street, who has previously travelled to the island as part of the search for her daughter, told the paper: ‘There’s too many things that don’t make sense and don’t add up.
‘When we went to the island, people wouldn’t speak to us about Sarm and on the posters asking for information someone had gone round and scrubbed out the number to call.’
She is calling on Mr Bane to provide the police with everything he knows about her daughter’s disappearance.
His lawyer David Cattie said in a statement to the newspaper: “Mr Bane is heartbroken over Sarm’s disappearance.
‘We certainly understand and empathize with her mother’s pain and frustration.’