Missing American Woman in Grenada Last Seen Swimming, Not Captured Returning to Shore

Elizabeth Waddell, 44, from Cary, NC, has been missing since July 22 after entering the sea near Grand Anse Beach. Police say surveillance footage does not show her returning from the water.

Grenada Police Detail Final Movements of Missing US Woman Elizabeth Waddell

The Royal Grenada Police Force has released new surveillance footage details in the disappearance of Elizabeth "Liz" Waddell, a 44-year-old American woman from Cary, North Carolina, who has been missing since Wednesday, July 22, according to modernghana.com.

Waddell was vacationing with a friend in the Grand Anse Beach area of St. George's, Grenada, when she vanished. During a news conference on Tuesday, Grenada Commissioner of Police Randy Connaught confirmed the case continues to be treated as a missing person investigation.

Surveillance video reviewed by investigators shows Waddell walking toward a jetty near her Airbnb at 11:36 a.m. on July 22, dressed in a swimsuit. She spent several minutes sitting on the jetty in the sun before removing her towel and entering the water at approximately 11:51 a.m. She was last captured on camera swimming at 12:04 p.m. Footage does not show her returning to shore.

At approximately 12:46 p.m., video shows her friend walking outside to search for her before returning alone. Waddell was then reported missing, prompting an immediate search response by Grenadian authorities.

Commissioner Connaught said investigators are actively examining activity in the surrounding area during the period Waddell disappeared. "The investigative team is also examining whether any person, vessel or vehicle, moved to the relevant locations during this critical period," he said.

Grenada authorities have intensified the investigation. The Coast Guard and local dive teams have conducted underwater searches, and a K9 unit has been deployed. Investigators said they are continuing to review evidence and reconstruct Waddell's movements prior to her disappearance.

Her husband, Cailen Waddell, said he personally swam the area himself, describing the water as shallow near the shore and rocky in places. "More like a lake — not like the ocean water we experience in North Carolina," he said in a statement. He thanked the community for their support as the search continues.

Waddell, a physical therapist and Aradia Fitness instructor in Cary, is described by loved ones as compassionate, outgoing, and always willing to help others.

The U.S. State Department confirmed to ABC News that it is aware of Waddell's disappearance and is assisting the family with filing missing person reports. The agency declined to comment further, citing privacy concerns.

Anyone with information on Waddell's whereabouts is asked to contact authorities in Grenada.

Source: Google News GD — Crime