Surveillance video shows missing Cary woman entering water in Grenada before disappearance

A Cary woman reported missing while vacationing in Grenada was not seen returning from the water after going for a swim near her resort, the Royal Grenada Police Force said.

Elizabeth “Liz” Waddell, 43, was last seen Wednesday, July 22, near Grand Anse Beach in St. George’s. She was vacationing in Grenada with a friend.

"The two of them went down there, and they [were] just vacationing and sightseeing and taking in all that Grenada has to offer," said Amanda Romano-Harmon, a friend of the Waddells for 25 years.

New security footage shared by the family on their official YouTube channel shows Liz Waddell walking in the backyard of the Airbnb on July 22. You can see her jumping off the jetty into the water and swimming out of frame toward Grand Anse Beach.

The family has also launched a website, FindLiz.com, to share updates on the investigation and search.

On Tuesday, Liz Waddell's husband, Cailen Waddell, posted:

"We have now seen video footage that confirms on Wednesday, Liz was last seen, around 12:04 PM, about 20’ at most from shore in water around 5’ deep swimming towards the beach at Grand Anse. I went out and did this swim yesterday. It is easy, there are lots of rocks you can stop at if you need. The water is shallower near shore, where liz could touch if she wanted and the water is like a lake, not like ocean water we experience in North Carolina."

Another new photo shared on the FindLiz website shows her in blue-and-white striped shorts and a burnt orange, loose crop top as she left the Airbnb.

Her husband believes she went for a swim in that clothing.

"Both of these clothing items were newer, so I don’t think we have pictures of her in them. To confirm, she was wearing this clothing in the water," Cailen Waddell wrote.

Grenada police commissioner Randy Connaught said Liz Waddell remains missing but investigators are hopeful she will be located.

"At this time, this matter continues to be treated as a missing person investigation," he said.

The commissioner also shared a detailed timeline of the moments before Waddell was reported missing, saying surveillance video from July 22 shows Liz Waddell walking toward a jetty near her Airbnb at 11:36 a.m.

She was on the jetty and sitting in the sun for several moments before she removed her towel, he said. The video shows her entering the water at 11:51 a.m., and she was seen swimming at 12:04 p.m.

At 12:46 p.m., the footage shows Waddell’s friend walking outside to look for her and returning alone. Waddell was not seen on surveillance video returning from the water.

She was reported missing, prompting an immediate police response and search.

The commissioner said witnesses reported seeing Waddell in open water. The Grenada Broadcasting Network also reported interviewing a man who said he was riding a jet ski when he spotted a woman — later identified as Waddell — swimming far from shore.

The man said he stopped and asked whether she needed help. According to the network, Waddell declined and said she was a strong swimmer.

"You have likely seen reports from folks on Jet Skis of an interaction with a woman they potentially identify as Liz in the water farther out from shore around 5:30PM," Cailen Waddell wrote. "The police are working to connect with these people and determine a more precise location, they are also working to collect security footage from all Hotels along the Beach."

Grenada police said investigators have reviewed surveillance footage, interviewed witnesses and begun reconstructing Waddell’s movements.

Waddell is well known in Cary through her work as a physical therapist and the fitness classes she teaches around town.

“You just can’t help but like her,” said MaryBeth Rubano, who met Waddell through physical therapy. “She’s outgoing. She cares about you, and you were important to her.”

Rubano and many of Waddell's friends are now supporting her family from Cary as the search for her continues 2,000 miles away in Grenada.

“I saw her picture for a second. I didn’t see the name, and I went, ‘Oh my God, I know her,’” Rubano said.

Cailen Waddell, who serves as the Town of Cary’s Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources operations manager, and the couple's adult daughter have been in Grenada since Friday to assist with the search.

Romano-Harmon told WRAL News that Waddell left the Airbnb for a swim without her phone and did not return.

“Cailen was here working, and he got the phone call from her friend on Wednesday that Liz was missing,” Romano-Harmon said. “She hadn’t seen her for a few hours. She was starting to panic because she knew Liz didn’t have her phone or anything with her, and so they wound up filing a missing person report right away.”

“I hope they find her. I hope she’s fine. I can’t imagine in my head what could have happened,” Rubano said.

A website and Facebook page are dedicated to the search, saying she was last seen wearing beige shorts with blue stripes and a burnt-orange top. She is 5 feet tall, with short blond hair and a medium build.

Anyone who has seen Elizabeth Waddell or has information about her whereabouts is asked to contact the St. George Police Station at 473-444-4454, the Criminal Investigation Department at 473-440-3921 or 911. Authorities are also asking business operators, residents and anyone along the island’s southern coastline to report information that could assist in the search.