Scary Real Life Situation. Need some advice on what to do.
 

Hey Guys this is really messed up. I want to help the situation but don't know where to start. Here's the situation....

A friend of mine went missing Tuesday evening. He's not only very responsible he has a very good job and just received a huge promotion and was set to leave the island within a week or so. On Wednesday when he didn't show up to work they tried to get a hold of him. Someone drove over to his house to see if he was there. When they got there they noticed his car was parked in front of his house and was full of groceries. His front door was open. He wasn't there. There has been little information on the situation and the only other detail is someone has been withdrawing the maximum amount from his bank card since Tuesday.

From what i hear Private investigators from Britain and Canada have been flown in but that's is all we hear is happening. This hasn't been in the newspapers, tv, or radio because the companies involved and Bahamas can't afford the bad press. That's what happens on an island. The companies hired the PI to try and find him. The thing is if they don't find him alive they can't report him dead (they have way too much too lose). He was a white executive working for the biggest hotel on the island. Think the hotel or the Bahamas wants that story to get out? FUCK NO!

Now where i need advice. I want to help find this guy. But feel really helpless. I hate the bullshit of covering stories up that don't make us look good as a country. It's absolute BS. The guy was living here all alone. I want to help but don't know how i can help the situation. Any of you have any ideas?

Hire your own PI? Put a reward out there for his safe return?

That's a tough one, but really not much you can do.

We are putting together a reward for him today actually.

Outside of getting your own investigator, I don't know what you can do.

It sure doesn't *sound* good, that is for sure.

Shap,

I am sorry to hear about this situation. I would search around the immediate area around his last assumed location - his car with his groceries. Look everywhere inside and outside the house and around that immediate area.

Next, if you can find the area of the first ATM withdrawl, go to that location and look for any clues. Be throrough, look everywhere you can think of.

Those are also excellent areas to post Missing flyers - maybe someone saw something. Knowing that you are doing everything you can may be of some comfort to you. I wish you well and hope he is found, safe and sound.

Mike

I think that is a very smart idea. I would also go hang out at your usual hangout spots that you would normally frequent with him. Hopefully someone can fill you in on where he may be "hopefully" it's a long shot I know, but it seems that at this point anything is worth giving a shot.

This sounds like a real scary situation I can't imagine how you must be feeling. I really hope everything turns out ok for you, and your friend.

His cell phone records will have the best clues.

I just heard they have a surveillance camera pic of a woman using his Atm. Both his atm and his cc have been being used since Tuesday. I don't know how good the pic is but knowing this shitty island a crappy pic of a bahamian person wouldn't clue anybody in on who the person is.

He went missing in the Bahamas?

wow... this is why I like GFY... where else can I know a guy who knows a guy?

Good luck, I hope your friend is ok. Was he involved with some shady people? Perhaps he fucked up. I don't even want to think of all the possibilities.

Again, I hope you find your friend and that he is well.

do ATM's there have cameras installed?

aside from hiring your own investigator there's probably not much you can do.

not to panic you, but you may want to consider doing something about your own security in the interim (assuming you still live there). if your friend was abducted and someone forced information from him, who knows what he may have said about wealthy friends while under duress.

edit: nvm about the camera, saw your previous post

from the facts you've given i would fear the worst for him :(

he's Canadian or British? Must be a consulate there you could get in touch with. Alert Canadian and British newspapers maybe about the story.

Only other thing i can think of is hire your own Private Investigator.

Yeah. :disgust

I assume the US has no presence in the Bahamas? so that won't help.. Call Larry King

he's dead. It sucks but thats that.

Thanks. This is one of the reasons we are leaving. We've had a great run here but 5 months ago my gut told me it was time to get the hell out of here. It can be very challenging living in a country where life isn't valued.

Good advice on our own security. We've lived a very humble quiet life here. Nobody knows much about us. I wasn't close friends with him but then again he didn't have many close friends. He worked 10 to 12 hours a day and then would come out to hockey with us on wednesdays. Great guy. Very dedicated to his career. Was just about to move back to canada and assume a huge role for the company he's currently with.

That's what i think. I know what the animals in the slums of this island are like :disgust

Canadian. Just found out the story about him missing is buried on page 9 of the local paper today.

Hi Shap,

Sorry to hear about your friend.

Depending on how close you are to this person, you first concern should be your families safety. The details you have mention indicate foul play and it does not look good for your friend. You best bet is to relax and not become to vocal without your own proper *Trusted* protection. Just my 2 cents.


Kind Regards,

Les

Agreed. Luckily I'm not that close. Don't know any of the same people.

I had no idea it was that bad down there. :(

Shap,

Sorry to hear about this bro. For your own safety I would try to do as much as you can as quietly as you can. If your going to offer a reward do it thru a third party so your name doesnt get tied to it. Last thing you and Beth want to do in this situation is draw the eyes to yourselves as well and put more people in harms way.

That's where hiring a PI to do your looking and be your voice to the press and such but keep your own image and name out of the situation would be best.

I really hope they find him alive.

- Brent

Yeah there are people here that make $2 to $5 a day with nothing to live for.

When we first moved here our landlord at the time had some haitians come paint our house. We were having a bbq so we offered them some burgers. I asked what they wanted with their burger. Their reply was 'bread please'. That really put things in perspective.

Wow, i wish i had some better advice but like other said, watch out for yourself too. It could be that he owed some people some money and they heard he was leaving so they decided to make sure to get their money but who knows. I hope hes found safe and well.

you gonna go back to canada or go to another island?

It's time like these that I think we should have a GPS attached to us 24/7.

I'm sorry to hear about this, Shap. Other than what you're doing, I'd suggest trying to call his cell when going back to any places he may have been. (the possibility of finding him or whomever knows where he is if you hear the phone ringing in the vicinity) If you know anyone in government or police, ask that they make it public. **perhaps flyers close to the hotel if they won't go public with hit**

Damn that really sucks and doesn't look good for this person.

Although you are not close Shap, you still live on the same island and are a successfull individual. Please keep yoru family safe, this is priority number 1.

Also i'm surprised I would of thaught the Bahamas as an extremely safe place.

Sorry to hear about your friend.

Bahamas has an illegal gambling lottery underworld, especially in Freeport. Perhaps he got mixed up in it? Maybe you can think of something he said in the past that relates to anything that could have got him in trouble with bad people.

Thats real nice dude, idiot

We are moving back to Canada in June. Back to the real world ;)


The problem here is the difference in haves and have nots. You have one neighbourhood that has 13 billionaires. Then 5 minutes down the road a ghetto with 1000s of people living in tents. Crazy shit.

Apparently the police have some leads and feel they may be on to finding out what happened.

Good news. Seems like they are working hard to find this out at least.

Possible kidnapping for ransom also. Does this guy have money or the company he works for have any kind of history on paying out ransoms?

I would avoid getting personally involved if you have nobody watching your back out there otherwise you risk making yourself a target also.

shut the fuck up you two bit employee. The adults are having a conversation here.

"the cold world" you mean.:Oh crap :winkwink:
Thats going to be a serious adjustment.

Interesting story about the bahamas. Last year (or i should say every year) around Christmas time robberies sky rocket. What happened last year was there was a group of guys that would hold up restaurants every few days. They'd go to the restaurant, take care of the security and rob everyone of their money and jewelery (they mostly robbed the white people and targeted the white restaurants). Anyhow the disturbing part about it was no reports of it in the newspapers or radio/tv. The only way people found was through email and word of mouth. Any news that would hurt tourism is basically not reported.

Living here you really learn to avoid putting yourself in a situation that could be dangerous.

Shap, hit me up. If you remember I was Cop and a Investigator before his career took off for me.

Good news.

that's insane! sorry to hear about your friend Shap. I have 2 or 3 friends who live there as well and they didn't know about this abduction or disappearance. Really scary

good luck in finding him Shap.. now you gotta definitely keep us posted on his whereabouts.

Shap, This is from a PI friend of mine, good luck

Obviously (unfortunately) it sounds like fowl play because of the groceries in the car - and the car still there, door open, the credit card, etc. Was the car door open too? Any blood at the scene? Anything that could have been used as a weapon - rock, pipe, bullet casings, drag marks.....

Does he live near the water? - I know it's an island, but how close to the water? Any footprints leading away from the house. Any lights on ? (like he actually went inside the house?) Was the car in the driveway or a garage or carport?

Does he have a girlfriend, wife, etc. any friends at all? anyone on the mainland? Have they checked with them, relatives, etc. Who was the last to see him? Is it an apartment or regular home. Any neighbors?

Anyone at work mad at him (someone who wanted promotion, etc. anyone fired lately by him, or because of him? )

Where was he going for the new promotion? Obviously he didn't leave with the door open and the groceries in the car voluntarily. Do you know if there was any blood on the scene? Did they dust for prints on the car and front door. Where the cards were used, are there cameras (almost every ATM has them) and if they were used for purchases, did they check with the people where the goods were purchased? WHERE was the card used? Was anyone else (wife, kid, girlfriend, etc.) on the card (someone else that could use it)?

What about a cell phone - does he have one? Did they check the cell and home phones for any calls?
Has anyone called the cell? Check at his office - look for a calendar with any meetings, etc. that he may have put down. Does he have a secretary? Who was the last person to see him on Tuesday.

Go to the grocery store where he got the groceries. did he pay with the same credit card or cash.

Was he despondent, have a bad breakup (wife, girlfriend, or "significant" other?
any financial problems?
Was the car his? or a rental, company car, etc. Has his company (the hotel) done anything to check out all this?

They need a good forensic person. Hell, I'd consider calling someone like Mark Ferman (OJ trial cop - he IS a good guy)

The FIRST thing is check the film at the banks to see if it was HIM making the withdrawls! Check with businesses around the bank and see if they have any surveillance cameras also.

I don't think it would do any good to check airlines, etc. My instincts say fowl play - from the circumstances.

Any recent criminal activity in the neighborhood?

After 24 hours - NOT a good sign. But if someone can check with the bank - does he have a substantial amount of $ in the account being used?

I am sure you are doing everything a P.I would do.

Sad to say, but you really cannot do much better than a P.I

Doesn't sound good..probably murdered unfortunately :( Hopefully not but you hear about that happening all the time

I'd hire a press agent or someone who can get the story out and make it on the news... if he's alive that's probably your best shot

Great info Nasty. Thanks. Apparently the latest is the police have some stakeouts in place and may be close to getting the guys using his Atm card which would be a start.

Local media is finally going to run the story tonight. The support and fight of the ex-pats to find him is really starting to come together and hopefully help the cause.

Good luck with everything, I really wish you the best. It sounds like such a horrible situation, I hope they find him unharmed.

That's what I was thinking also... Sounds like a kidnapping, I met a guy once who had been held a prisoner in colombia for almost a year while they drained all his accounts via ATMs and stuff... :(

Ahhhh sorry to hear about this Shap, I really hope the authorities find him on a crazy drinking binge trip down in the exhumas instead of the latter more negative option.

Does he have family down in the Bahammas assisting the authorities. I think you should blow the lid off this affair and call City TV in Toronto. The Bahammians can't afford to be in the same light as Mexico right now so the media pressure will surely help the Bahammian authorities get their act in gear (if they aren't already).

Anyways I hope your friend comes home safe, money is inconsequential we can always make more...

DH

Personally I would hire outside investigators to cut through all the bureaucratic bs.:2 cents: