New York couple goes missing in Samaná
A search is underway for a New York couple who took a vacation to the Dominican Republic and suddenly vanished, with no sign of them for nearly two weeks. Orlando Moore, 43 and his girlfriend, Portia Ravenelle, aged 32, had arrived on a flight from Newark on 23 March 2019 and were scheduled to return to their home in Mount Vernon on 27 March. NBC reports that two weeks later they have not taken a return flight back and their car is still parked at the airport.
Moore’s sister, Lashay Turner, says all that is known is that the couple did check out of their hotel, the Gran Bahia Principe Cayacoa in Samaná, but there’s no record of them getting back to the United States. As reported, they have not returned their rental car.
More info: Dailymail
UPDATE: Woman who went missing in Dominican Republic lay dying alone in hospital for EIGHT DAYS after fatal car crash which also killed her boyfriend as friends searched desperately for the couple
Police identifies body of missing US tourist
Police says they have partially resolved the case of the missing US tourists. Spokesman for the police colonel Frank Durán Mejía said on La Cuestion radio talk show of 107.7FM that an autopsy carried out at the National Institute of Forensic Sciences (Inacif) identified the fingerprints of the body of US citizen Portia Ravenelle.
The woman had been treated at the Darío Contreras Trauma Hospital where she was hospitalized for several days in the intensive care unit until dying on 4 April 2019. At the time she had not yet been identified, since the ambulance took her to the hospital without identification after assisting her at Km 19 of the Las Americas Expressway between the Samaná highway and the Las Americas toll.
Regarding the body that is suspected to be that of Orlando Moore recovered from the sea near Sans Souci, photographs with a tattoo he had on his arm were sent to the Police in Mount Vernon, New York so that a brother of his can assist in the identification. Durán said that the drafting of the scenario of the tragedy still needs to be worked up, but that to conclude the investigation the rental car needs to be hauled from where it is located at Km 19 of the Las Americas Expressway. Rough seas have impeded the recovery of the vehicle from where it is expected to be located.
What is known is that the couple had passed the Marbella toll station on the Samaná to Santo Domingo highway that is about 6 km from the Las Americas International Airport. The couple had been booked to take a 2am flight back to Newark International on 27 March and crossed the toll station at 1:41am.
On Wednesday, 10 April, Police investigators from the Dicrim division and transit specialists from the Digesett, accompanied by prosecutors surveyed the area where it is presumed the car slid into the sea. The Police says that agents from the FBI are collaborating in the case.
Source: DR1, Dailymail
Apr 13, 2019
Category: DR News |