Search for Elizabeth Waddell: Grenada swim video surfaces
Surveillance video central to the search for Elizabeth Waddell shows the Cary, North Carolina, physical therapist entering Caribbean waters near Grand Anse Beach in Grenada on July 22 and not returning on camera. Her family and the Royal Grenada Police Force continue a missing-person investigation after possible jet-ski sightings later that afternoon.
Key Takeaways
- Elizabeth “Liz” Waddell was last confirmed on video entering the water near her Grand Anse Airbnb around midday on July 22.
- Police say she was not seen returning from the water; a friend searched for her about 12:46 p.m.
- Witnesses on jet skis later reported a woman matching her description farther offshore around 5:30 p.m.
- Her husband says authorities believe there was no foul play; the missing-person case continues.
- Updates and tips are being shared via FindLiz.com and Grenada police tip lines.
What does the new surveillance video show?
According to WRAL, Grenada police commissioner Randy Connaught said footage from July 22 shows Waddell walking toward a jetty near her Airbnb at 11:36 a.m. She sat in the sun, removed her towel, entered the water at 11:51 a.m., and was seen swimming at 12:04 p.m.
Family-shared security video on their YouTube channel shows her jumping off the jetty and swimming out of frame toward Grand Anse Beach. Her husband, Cailen Waddell, wrote that the clip confirms she was about 20 feet from shore in roughly five feet of water, swimming toward the beach. A photo on FindLiz.com shows her in blue-and-white striped shorts and a burnt-orange crop top—the clothing he says she wore into the water.
At 12:46 p.m., video shows her vacationing friend walking outside to look for her and returning alone. Waddell was not seen on surveillance returning from the water.
Where does the search for Elizabeth Waddell stand now?
Waddell, a Cary physical therapist known for teaching fitness classes, was vacationing with a friend when she left the Airbnb for a swim without her phone and did not return. The Royal Grenada Police Force treated the case as a missing-person investigation after she was reported missing, prompting an immediate search.
Cailen Waddell, operations manager for Cary’s Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources, and the couple’s adult daughter traveled to Grenada to help. Friends in Cary have rallied around the family as the search continues roughly 2,000 miles away, part of wider coverage in our True Crime & Unsolved Mysteries reporting.
Police have reviewed surveillance, interviewed witnesses, and begun reconstructing her movements. Investigators are also working to collect hotel security footage along the beach and to pinpoint any later open-water sightings.
Were there later sightings after she entered the water?
Witnesses reported seeing Waddell in open water. The Grenada Broadcasting Network interviewed a jet-ski rider who said he spotted a woman later identified as Waddell swimming far from shore, stopped to ask if she needed help, and was told she was a strong swimmer and declined assistance.
Cailen Waddell has referenced reports of a jet-ski interaction farther out around 5:30 p.m., saying police are connecting with those witnesses for a more precise location. In a public update cited by the New York Post, he said that after consulting family, local authorities, and the U.S. Embassy, he joins officials in believing there was no foul play, while the investigation continues—especially into the gap between the midday video and any afternoon water sightings.
Waddell is described as about 5 feet tall, with short blond hair and a medium build. Anyone with information is asked to contact the St. George Police Station at 473-444-4454, the Criminal Investigation Department at 473-440-3921, or 911.