Police officials have discovered a body nearly an hour's walk away from a hotel on the Turks and Caicos Islands where American tourist Brian Tarrence vanished on June 25.
Investigators discovered a “deceased male in a state of decomposition” early Saturday morning, a Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force statement read. His identity has not been released.
“The RTCIPF will provide further updates as soon as the identification process is completed and the next of kin is informed.”
Private investigator Carl DeFazio, whom Tarrence’s family hired, told People magazine the body was found in a “little residential-commercial area."
DeFazio warned it was too early to speculate the body was Tarrence’s, who was last seen leaving a rented apartment at the Paradise Inn in Grace Bay just before 3:40 a.m.
Tarrence and his wife arrived on the island on June 21 for what they had intended to be a romantic getaway to celebrate their anniversary. His brother, Mike Tarrence, told The Turks and Caicos Sun that he last heard from his brother via text the day before they traveled.
“They were there to celebrate their one-year anniversary. He just said they were going on vacation. No details were provided to me. This is very personal, but come to find out through all of this, it was discovered he is a very bad alcoholic. We were also told that with either the drinking, lack of sleep, or both, he was experiencing hallucinations,: Mike Tarrence said.
“He has never done anything even remotely close to this. He is a very smart individual,” he added.
The message was short and simply said that Tarrence and his wife were heading off on holiday to celebrate their one-year anniversary with no further details.
Meanwhile, DeFazio told People, “You can’t just look at, say, a watch, sneakers, and a pair of shorts. Anybody could be wearing that. What if we say, ‘Yeah, that’s his watch, that’s his shorts,’ and then find out somebody else had them? And if that were the truth, then this investigation takes a turn tremendously right there.”
Acting Police Commissioner Rodney Adams said, “The Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force extends sincere condolences to the family and friends of the deceased.
“We urge members of the public to refrain from speculation and allow the investigative process to confirm the identity through official channels.”
Police appealed to anyone with information to contact 911 or the nearest police station or reach out anonymously by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-8477 (TIPS) or by using the P3 mobile app.
