21 Year Old Missing

http://www.soualigapost.com/en/news/2080/baie-nettl%C3%A9/21-years-old-girl-missing-french-side

That is very concerning. Hopefully she will be returned safely.

Agreed. Hopefully she will turn up safe soon...

Sure hope she is found and safely back to her parents and Belgium. Hindsight is 20/20 but I wish she were running with fellow runners, strength in numbers.

Sadly these situations seldom have a happy ending. Praying for the best.

I've been following this on the Facebook side. I know there aren't many people on the island but I'm surprised that I haven't read anything about someone asking what's going on with all of the police activity from nettle bay to terres bases. I would think the place would be swarming with every available body searching. For an island already struggling with fewer visitors, a European "Natalie Hollaway" story could do a lot of damage.

While abduction is possible, my first efforts would be a very extensive search along the roadside. She may have been struck by a vehicle and launched into dense vegetation. Searchers on foot to start with. Also, get a bucket truck or two. Move slowly down the road with the bucket around 20 feet high and over the right side of the vegetation. She may be badly hurt but still alive.

It must be very frustrating for the parents. I know that if I was on my home turf, I could initiate a call for help from family, school associates, work associates, youth soccer etc. I could have hundreds of people searching with a few hours. On the island, I'm at the mercy of the police response. I'd still be reaching out locally where I could though. It's in every islanders self interest to have her found as quickly as possible.

If I was on island, I'd be out there searching.

I hope maybe it might be a case of her voluntarily going somewhere, but one would think she would have contacted her family, if so. I really hope this situation has a good ending, but it has now been 24 hours..

Saying a prayer for this young lady and her family, and while not terribly optimistic at this point after 24 hours plus of absence, hoping for good news and a positive outcome. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Sad.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Sad.gif" alt="" />

Any update on the dogs searching?

We had a local dementia patient in our town that was missing for a couple of weeks. A guy with a drone took it out and found her in a field. She was no longer living, not a surprise, but her family sure was glad she had been found. I mention this because I know there are some drones on the island, that might be another option to help locate her.

A Canine search (group from Guadalupe), helicopter and foot searches are in progress right now.

Please let us know if there are any updates...

Prayers are with the family. Hoping for a good outcome.

We truly believe in the power of prayer.
We are praying for her quick and safe return.

Very sad news.......

http://www.soualigapost.com/en/news/2115/baie-nettl%C3%A9/wendys-dead-body-found

My condolences to the family. Breaks my heart!

Real sad !

Sad and angry. I hope they find whoever was responsible.

Our thoughts and prayers are with her loved ones.

Absolutely frightening! Very sad for her and her poor family.

Oh my goodness... Any other update?

https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/58...gian-girl-found

why was she out jogging by herself in that area?

So incredibly sad. My thoughts and prayers go out to her family. God bless them all. And it doesn't matter if is she was jogging by herself or not. SXM is not what it use to be. This is just incredibly upsetting.

This is a terrible end result, but with all due respect, Saturday morning at 9:30 is NOT an unreasonable time for a jogger to be out, and that area is usually a well traveled area with beach-goers and people heading to the Marigot market, etcetera.

It is always better to do things like that in pairs but most of the runners I know prefer to run alone. And add to that the reality that most young people never think bad things will happen to them. Sadly, it's as we get a little older that we tend to enter the 'what if' stages of our lives.

Perhaps we could just say a prayer for all concerned and hope the French police are able to find out what happened and apprehend those who might be involved and mete out the appropriate punishments and leave it at that. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />

Very sad. A homicide could include a vehicle accident I suppose in some tiny way better than an attack.

A few weeks ago, We were surprised how many people, nearly all young french women, were hitchhiking between Marigot, grand case and hope estate. It looked like it was their daily routine.

Again, sad outcome. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/cry.gif" alt="" />

So very sad - my thoughts and prayers our with the family.

I'm here now. Yesterday, when we went to Dreams, the area was swarming with police.
We subsequently discovered that they were searching the Lowlands - and (horrible to say) found her body in that area.

So incredibly sad.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the family at this difficult time.Hopefully those who committed this crime will be found and justice will prevail.

So sad to he ar this. Does anyone know if this was foul play or she was hit by a car? When I first read this I figured it was a hit and run, where it was in the AM with everyone around. I personally wouldn't dare to run on these roads, the way they drive and how narrow the roads are. But when I found out it was Sandy Ground it made me wonder, this is one place I don't feel safe at all on the French side, the abandoned cars, motorcycles drag racing up and down, even Wilfred told us this is not the safest place.

As the report reads "The indications are that this is a homicide", I'm sure they have a reason to put that out there. Very sad. My sympathies to the family of this young girl.

Homicide isn't just murder cases. It's also vehicular hit and runs.

That is true and that is somewhat less awful scenario, although a young girl is dead regardless. However, looking at the pictures in the one article online, it appears the body was found along a kind of back road. If so, I do not think it could have been a hit and run.

Needless to say Carol, we will have to wait for the medical examiners report of the cause of death,if it is released to the public and the press.

Yes, for sure. The DH story said that perhaps the Prosecutor would make a statement today, but so far, I have not seen one.

News is not good -Barbara posted the medical examiners report -stabbing...horrible. Posted on TA

Translation from Souaglia Post. Here is the translation of the above article, i hope it is okay! this is so tragic! May she rest in peace and strength for the family!!

Out of respect for the family of the victim, the prosecutor of Basse-Terre, Samuel Finielz, declined to give specific details about the conditions of discovery of the lifeless body of Wendy Montulet during a press conference Monday mid-afternoon at the courthouse in Marigot.

"It was discovered, dead, with several blows with spicy and sharp object," he began to disclose without giving the exact number of shots worn. Wendy has been stabbed with a knife; the weapon has not been found next to it.

The time of death will be confirmed only after the autopsy. This will be performed this Thursday, July 14 by two pathologists who come specially from Guadeloupe. However, investigators assume that the death occurred between when Wendy is part make his jogging or 9:30, and when his stepfather warned the gendarmes, or 14 hours. She could have been killed near the place where it was found, but "no evidence yet allows the state," said Samuel Finielz. There is no evidence to say for the moment if his body - found a few meters from the road, in broussailles- was transported and / or dragged.

Investigators also expect to know the results of the autopsy to determine if she has been sexually assaulted. "There is nothing allows us to say it," repeated the prosecutor declined to say whether the victim was not always or her clothes. However, a relative of the victim told Belgian reporters she was naked.

Investigators do not make direct links with Cuchi, alleged killer of Angelica in 2004 and escaped from Sint Maarten prison since February. "Do not work with blinders because this is how we are mistaken. We have a very technical investigation must proceed with great caution, "said the prosecutor.

Many samples were taken and sent on Monday afternoon in France for analysis "by top experts" assured the floor.

Wendy did not carry valuables on it, apart from his i-pod.

The survey is conducted by the Research Brigade of Saint-Martin and mobilizes fifteen full-time military. If in two weeks she could not move for lack of elements, a criminal investigation is opened and the criminal division of Pointe-à-Pitre is entered.

Wendy was born in 1994. It was the second time in St. Martin with his mother and stepfather. She resided at the residence Les Flamboyants. She had to leave Saturday afternoon in Europe with his family.

A Belgian newspaper, Het Laatste Nieuws, mom Wendy told that her daughter had "thoroughly enjoyed his vacation. She went sailing and diving."

Daily Herald story

Sending our prayers to Wendy's family.
I can't imagine anything more horrible than losing a child.

Prayer's to the family........ what has happened to "The Friendly Island" ????? <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Sad.gif" alt="" />

Correct. Homicide is a death caused by another person. Including vehicular, and justifiable (which would not result in an arrest, usually in self defense cases).

The police are asking for assistance: http://www.soualigapost.com/en/news/2169/baie-nettl%C3%A9/wendy%E2%80%99s-death-new-call-witnesses

http://www.soualigapost.com/en/news/2168/baie-nettl%C3%A9/wendy-was-stabbed-several-times

Not vehicular.
Stabbed.

Supposedly this Cuchi guy is walking around in public with no problem.

Yes, this is all true. However, from the way the initial report was written, I assumed they would have termed it a 'possible hit and run' if indeed that appeared to be the case when the body was found. From their wording of it appearing to be a homicide, with no further elaboration, I figured it was something more malicious. I guess I was reading in-between the lines, not always a good thing to do, but in this case, accurate. In any event, this is a very sad and disturbing thing. Many thoughts for her poor family.

Being just over 2 weeks since we were there on the French side, I'm bewildered at what Can/shouldbe done by us the most frequent SXM tourist/customers.. We are aware because of TTOL. There are many who arrive on island completely unaware of what can occur.

Ii was commenting in many posts the French gendarmes were very visible everywhere on our visit ----now that seems completely and totally meaningless. Do the "authorities" really do anything? Do they really have the detective ability to find these perps? Who do they report to local govt or Parisians? Wouldn't Paris send some extra attention on the matter?

This would be front page news in any town and clearly it is on SXM, but SXM needs tourists, and they need an all out dragnet to get folks like this or maybe we all should take our bags of travel dollars to the local KOA campground for awhile.

Be careful day and night on both halves of the island. Don't be careless, stupid with you or your valuables and papers and have a reaction plan wherever you are walking and jogging and sleeping.

Sorry for the rant, I wish tHere was nothing to rant about.

FYI The Gendarme are from France and they have help from Guadalupe. Unfortunately they can't be everywhere all the time. They are trying to do the best they can. No matter where we travel now, we all have to be very cautious. So very sad for this family and for St. Martin.

Gendarmes are the US equivalent of Federal/Military, not State or Local.

In today's daily Herald.
https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/58...her-mother-says

This is so incredibly sad! My heart goes out to this Mother and all the family. Justice needs to be served here and this criminal needs to be found!

Looks like the caught the person that did this according to a post on tripadvisor.
This is what was posted:

Le Pelican news report on FB:

Resolution of the murder of Wendy Montulet

The perpetrator was arrested yesterday. He's 21 years old, and is a native of Saint-Martin. He bumped into the young woman in the shrubbery, took a piece of glass and suffered some blows. The prosecutor has also confirmed that the young tourist has been sexually assaulted.

http://www.soualigapost.com/en/news/2210/justice/wendys-murderer-arrested-gendarmes

For the little that it says... soualigapost

If this is so, there should be more in the Herald tomorrow.

Daily Herald reports an arrest

Quick work but still a very sad story anywhere.

Absolutely...

I want to comment but don't think you could leave it on the site

You're probably right that the words wouldn't/shouldn't stand, and wise in not posting them in the first place, but I think most of us are thinking the same thoughts and feeling the same anger and disgust at a monster who would do something like this. There are times when words really aren't needed but the interpretation of the silence is still a given. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />

Excellent work Gendarmarie!

update

Wendy was raped and the perpetrator was arrested
http://www.soualigapost.com/en/news/2220...or-was-arrested

The article states that there was a DNA match between victim and the accused. Wow, it seems like it takes WEEKS to get DNA results for cases in the US.

I wonder why the suspects name has not been released?

I think in general, they do not release the names of any suspects in SXM.

They usually release initials so all the locals know who it is

Our friend knows his father.

This is truly a tragedy. I can only hope that the parents can find a way to live the rest of their lives in peace knowing that their daughter' life was stolen from them.

I never really thought St. Martin to be dangerous even knowing the things that have been mentioned on this board. This kind of moves me in a direction thinking of whether or not it is worth it to go there. I was shocked when the gentleman and wife where murdered and tortured in Cupacoy a few years back but that was a money thing. This is just pure evil
We are staying right where this happened next year on the beach at Nettle bay just 100 meter or so from Dreams.

I too am staying at NBBC next year and I won't change my plans. I will be aware of who is around me and will not put myself in situations or locations at times when things are in favor of someone taking advantage of me. That said, this was done in broad daylight and from what I understand on a road that has traffic on it. I would say that the man that committed the crime was taking a big chance in doing so in that location / at that time of day. Does that say something about his mental health? He was seen by many and attracted attention to be so well remembered (other than red hair) so to me it says that it was not a person that was acting normally. You don't typically run into a lot of people every day that are mentally unstable (that you know of) so with my increased alertness I judge that I will be safe.

I guess another factor is that the victim was a daily jogger and maybe the perp saw her a few days in a row and planned the thing. While it is not something that makes you exhale on the whole thing it is a bit better than knowing unhinged people walk about.

I have been cautious in this area after dark as you are vulnerable to a car jacking by the mopeds or other contrived crimes.

Apparently the murderer was either murdered himself or has committed suicide.

http://www.soualigapost.com/en/news/2253/faits-divers/wendys-murderer-found-dead

New reports say he was murdered in jail
https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/58...?fb_ref=Default

I'm not going to shed any tears over his death. At least her parents won't have to deal with his trial and then years down the road, his eventual release from prison.

The whole thing seems a little bizarre.

My apologies re locals knowing the identity of people mentioned in the papers by their initials. I was wrong as pointed out to me by someone who lives onthe island. There are 80,000 people living there. Sorry for misleading anyone.

The suspect whose name was never released by authorities is the son of Territoral Police Alexis Carty, a resident of Sandy Ground.

http://smn-news.com/st-maarten-st-martin...y-montulet.html

Where is the sympathy in this article for the victim and parents of this girl who was brutally raped and killed. It shouldn't matter if he was the son of the territorial police, he confessed and they had his DNA what more do you need, if you ask me he got what he deserved.