Vanished in paradise: Trini among growing mystery of missing people in Antigua

A MYSTERIOUS and deadly phenomenon has gripped the small island of Antigua for over a decade. Despite its white-sandy beaches and crystal-clear waters, the island has seen a troubling number of unexplained disappearances. The latest to vanish without a trace is Trinidad and Tobago national Thomas Vasquez, adding a chilling new chapter to a growing list of unresolved cases.

Vasquez first visited Antigua in 2024 after being invited by a fellow Trinidadian, a Rastafarian priest. He spent eight weeks working on what was believed to be a legal marijuana farm.

However, a police officer involved in the investigation told Newsday on May 2 that although a licence is required to operate such a facility, the farm may not have had the proper documentation, despite being a long-standing and widely known operation.

After returning to Trinidad, Vasquez travelled back to Antigua on October 8 for work. The officer said Vasquez may have travelled undetected by boat between other islands.

“He may have made some runs by sea: what we do know is he went to Trinidad on a plane on April 6, spent a week, and returned to Antigua on April 14.”

The officer questioned why the Office of Strategic Communications (STRATCOM), the communications arm of the Royal Police Force of Antigua and Barbuda (RPFAB), had yet to issue a missing persons bulletin. He noted this marked a significant departure from standard procedure.

According to reports, on arriving, Vasquez visited a bar with a friend and later spent the night at the home of a couple he knew. When he landed his employer picked him.

The couple dropped him back at the farm in Glanville between 9 and 10 am on Tuesday, April 15. That was the last time anyone saw him. The woman was the first to raise the alarm about his disappearance.

She contacted his distraught mother, Candy Jageshar. The farm’s supervisor claimed Vasquez spent the entire day sleeping on the premises. Concerned by his prolonged silence, the couple eventually visited the Willikies Police Station to file a missing person's report.

As of this publication, Vasquez’s family has received no official updates or communication from the Antiguan police. Individuals in Antigua acting on behalf of the family allege they have been met with hostility when seeking information.

Adding to the unease is the fact that one month before Vasquez’s disappearance, another employee of the same farm was found dead. Twenty-seven-year-old Jahkeem Browne was discovered on the morning of March 24 at the site of the former Bruce’s Night Club in Hatton. He had been shot. Investigations into Browne’s death remain ongoing.

Despite mounting concerns, no official statement had been issued by authorities. That changed in part by a viral Facebook post from Vasquez’s mother. Roughly ten days later, former government minister and veteran journalist Jacqui Quinn-Leandro, the country’s first female acting prime minister, discussed Vasquez case on her morning radio show on Observer Radio.

She had read Jageshar's Facebook post, and Quinn-Leandro strongly criticised the police for its silence. Following her broadcast, both the Commissioner of Police and the STRATCOM department claimed they were unaware of Vasquez’s disappearance.

On April 30, police took a man and a woman into custody, and the farm was searched.

Also on March 12, nine-year-old Chantel Crump's disappearance shocked the nation. She was found dead. A student at Five Islands Primary School, she was last seen entering a silver-coloured car near her home while walking back from school. Her body was found on March 15. Angela Mejia, a 20-year-old woman, was arrested and charged with her murder.

On February 26, Keon Richards was last seen at his workplace at Sandals resort. Since that day, there has been no sign of him. On January 25, Orden “Paso” David, a 39-year-old LGBTQ+ advocate, went missing. His burnt car was later recovered.

November 4, Donna Marie Christian, 43, vanished. Her family continues to search for answers.

November 2023, Kyle Peters disappeared. His father, Acting Superintendent of Police Verbin Peters, still seeks closure. On March 17, 2023, 18-year-old Kevin Millett went missing. His rented car was later found burnt.

On August 29, 2022, Kevorn “Sardis” Bailey was last seen alive at a service station. May 23, 2019, 24-year-old Noah Hurst stepped out after getting a call and was never seen again.

May 7, 2019, 74-year-old Hyacinth Gage disappeared while at the Mount St John Medical Centre for routine medical tests. November 13, 2018, 19-year-old Trey Griffith failed to appear at a family gathering and has not been seen since.

May 16, 2017, Canadian tourist Roman Mussabeko was dropped off at a yacht club and vanished shortly after. On April 7, 2017, Vincia James was last seen leaving her workplace. Her ex-boyfriend was charged with her murder, but the case was dismissed due to the absence of a body.

In August 2017, Robert Nathaniel Boyle, disappeared from Sweet’s Village. Like many others, his case went cold. On March 14, 2016, Doris Leon Chatberger, 40, vanished.

January 12, 2013, Keri-Ann Joshua was last seen by her mother on what seemed like a regular day. Her fate remains unknown.

Newsday spoke with Mary John, a well-known community activist and representative of the Concerned Citizens Group of Antigua, on May 3. After hearing about Vasquez’s case, the group was the first to organise a search party and begin looking for him.

While she declined to share details on what she had learnt, saying it may jeopardise the investigation, John acknowledged the island’s unusually high rate of missing people and issued a call for help beyond Antigua’s borders.

“We have a problem. I’m not certain if our police are overwhelmed or if it’s something else, but what I do know is that we need help. The FBI, Caricom, we need help bringing closure to these families. This cannot continue.”