North Carolina Woman Missing in Grenada: Husband Believes No Foul Play Involved

On Wednesday, Cailen Waddell, the husband of Elizabeth Waddell, a North Carolina woman who recently went missing in Grenada, expressed his belief that “there was no foul play” involved in her disappearance. He stated that the ongoing investigation will primarily focus on tracking her movements in the hours leading up to her disappearance, emphasizing that “no detail is too small.”

Elizabeth Waddell was last captured on security footage around noon on July 22, swimming off Grand Anse Beach, according to the Royal Grenada Police Force. Eyewitnesses later reported seeing her at about 5:30 p.m., farther from the shore.

“After careful and thoughtful consultation with family, local authorities, the U.S. Embassy, and others here in Grenada, I join authorities in believing there was no foul play,” Cailen Waddell said in a statement. “Liz was last seen swimming in the ocean near Grand Anse, around 5:30 PM, far from shore. She communicated her confidence in her swimming and location, as well as the beauty of the island,” he added.

The 44-year-old was vacationing with her close friend Heather for three weeks when she went missing. Waddell left the Airbnb she was sharing with Heather, and after she failed to return for hours, Heather found only her towel at the beach.

A friend, Amanda Romano-Harmon, mentioned that surveillance footage of Waddell’s last known activities showed her “floating” and “swimming around,” but she later “floats out of the camera view.” Footage revealed Waddell walking towards a beachside pier around 11:30 a.m. before entering the water around noon. Her friend Heather was seen heading to the pier approximately 45 minutes later but returned alone.

Cailen Waddell described Elizabeth as “a loving free-spirit person,” telling Grenadian media she could easily make friends and often did so. Authorities have urged anyone with information regarding Waddell’s whereabouts to contact them immediately.

The U.S. State Department is aware of her disappearance and is monitoring the situation. Contributors to the report include Emily Mae Czachor, Cristian Benavides, and Kiki Intarasuwan.