Police authorities in the US Virgin Islands have made public CCTV footage of Sarm Heslop, a missing British woman, acknowledging that their investigation into her disappearance has hit a standstill after four and a half years.
Sarm Heslop, a 41-year-old former Flybe air hostess, was last spotted with her wealthy American boyfriend Ryan Bane at a restaurant near where his yacht was moored on St John in March 2021. This marks the initial release of footage capturing her movements on the evening she vanished, showing her final steps on land.
Steven Philip, the chief of police in the US Virgin Islands, explained the decision to share the footage now was due to reaching a dead end in the investigation. He hopes that public viewing of the video may prompt new information and assistance in the case.
The CCTV footage, sourced from cameras in Cruz Bay, shows Sarm walking alongside Ryan Bane, 49, after spending approximately 90 minutes at a bar. Sarm’s actions, including appearing unsteady and sitting on the dock before boarding a dinghy, are captured in the footage.
The police provided this previously unseen footage to the BBC for their upcoming documentary, “Missing in Paradise: Searching for Sarm.” The investigative series, hosted by journalist Tir Dhondy, delves into the circumstances surrounding Sarm’s disappearance and retraces her final known movements in the US Virgin Islands.
During the documentary, concerns were raised regarding a discrepancy in the timeline presented by Ryan Bane. Reports from the US Coast Guard indicated that Bane claimed to have returned to the yacht at 10 pm, while the timestamp on the CCTV footage confirms the couple departing from the dock at 8.45 pm, leaving an unexplained hour.
US Virgin Islands’ Police Commissioner, Mario Brooks, stated that the timeline inconsistency raises suspicions, highlighting Ryan Bane as the sole person of interest in the case. Authorities emphasize the necessity of speaking with Bane for further clarity, as there is no evidence suggesting Sarm interacted with anyone else that night besides him.
Living on Ryan Bane’s £500,000 yacht Siren Song following a Tinder match eight months prior, Sarm, originally from Essex, mysteriously disappeared. Bane, with a prior conviction for assaulting his ex-wife, notified emergency services at 2.30 am on the night of Sarm’s disappearance, claiming she was missing when he awoke to the boat’s alarm.
Despite being advised to contact the US Coast Guard immediately, Bane delayed for nine hours and later obstructed Coast Guard agents from boarding his vessel. His refusal to cooperate with authorities has hindered the investigation’s progress.
The case remains classified as a missing person inquiry, though Sarm’s relatives and friends advocate for reclassifying it as a potential murder investigation to intensify investigative efforts.
Sarm’s mother, Brenda, expressed her ongoing hope for closure, emphasizing the need to unravel the mystery surrounding her daughter’s disappearance. She voices the family’s longing for justice and closure, pledging to persist in seeking answers and bringing Sarm home.
