Some nine months after her mysterious disappearance, the hope of finding Anegadian resident Mrs Margarita Faulkner-Clinton aka auntie Rita is very much alive and in fact will be intensified when an international search team arrives on the sister island later this month. Photo: Provided/file

The Husband of Auntie Rita Mr Connie Lee Clinton is hoping that the search would yield results and help to bring some closure to his grief. Photo: VINO/file

Mr and Mrs Clinton in happier times. Photo: VINO/file

Faulkner-Clinton has been missing since December 2, 2012 despite several search operations that included public spirited residents, Royal Virgin Islands Police Force, HM Customs and the US Coast Guard.

Some resident of Anegada are now of the opinion that foul play was involved in the disappearance of Mrs Faulkner-Clinton. “Something was done to that woman, the ends don’t match up. If she had wandered off in the bushes by now someone would have stumbled on her dead or alive. Her granddaughter goes there in the bushes a lot and this is a small place. Something is wrong,” added the concerned resident.

While noting that he will still volunteer to be a part of the search team later this month, Mr Vanterpool feels there are some questions and actions that need to be taken, including investigating where are her travel documents. “I am not saying the RVIPF is not doing that or hasn’t done so among other things but if they coming to do another search like what we have done over and over again they need to re-visit what they are doing,” Mr Vanterpool told Virgin Islands News Online.

The Anegada resident is, nevertheless, convinced that Auntie Rita was either killed and buried or taken out to sea and drowned all for some selfish reason/s. “Something went wrong somewhere and I know that I am not wrong, something went very wrong and they need to start investigating inside out. For a person to be gone without a trace from this small place is very suspicious. There is some selfish hidden agenda involved,” he speculated.

Meanwhile, the RVIPF had previously said they were not treating the investigation as a criminal matter.

Husband’s bank account allegedly under investigation

Shortly after the his wife Margarita Faulkner-Clinton aka auntie Rita went missing without a trace, Mr Connie J. Clinton has been having difficulties with this account at a named banking institution. He told Virgin Islands News Online during an exclusive interview yesterday, September 2, 2013 that he is unable to meet his bills to the extent that his home phone has been disconnected.

In a very sad and worried tone, Mr Clinton said he was informed by the bank that something had gone wrong with his account and they are investigating. “They said that they don’t know what it is that went wrong with my account but they had to send everything up to Puerto Rico and till now they keep saying they haven’t found the problem yet,” said Mr Clinton.

The man alleged that while the investigation is being done he is only given $500 a month. “I have bills, and I am only getting to take $500 a month. That can’t take care of my commitments. I am way behind on my bills and this is adding more wounds to injuries,” said the elderly man.

See previous article posted September 2, 2013

Int’l search party to search for missing Anegada woman

-Husband welcomes international search team; says he needs closure

Some nine months after her mysterious disappearance, the hope of finding Anegadian resident Mrs Margarita Faulkner-Clinton aka auntie Rita is very much alive and in fact will be intensified when an international search team arrives on the sister island later this month.

Since December 2, 2012 the loved ones of Mrs Faulkner-Clinton have been living with the pain of losing. However, they firmly believe that all is not lost. “I have never, never given up hope on finding my wife, never but I need some closure,” said her husband Mr Connie L. Clinton during an exclusive interview with Virgin Islands News Online earlier today, September 2, 2013.

Mr Clinton said he was informed that there will be an international search party coming soon to conduct a search, one that he welcomes very much and hopes could yield some results. “This woman Su had told me some time back that they will be bringing a search team from the USA but I can’t remember the date because it’s been so long but I am glad now to know that they are going to do this. We search everywhere, everywhere we search and haven’t found my wife,” said the grieving man.

Persons in the community said that for some time now there have been mounted notices calling for volunteers to participate in the exercise.

The RVIPF earlier today, September 2, 2013 issued a press release urging persons to volunteer to assist a U.S. based search team hired by the Clinton-Faulkner family to assist in looking for their missing mother. The international search team will also be assisted by the Police Force. The USA team is from the Klass Kids Foundation (KKF) and is scheduled to arrive in the Territory on September 18, 2013 to begin a six-day search on Anegada for Mrs Faulkner-Clinton or to uncover any evidence that could help in advancing the investigation into her disappearance.
According to the release, while the KKF principally carries out search operations for children in the US, the Foundation has agreed with the family to provide assistance in searching for Mrs. Faulkner-Clinton in Anegada.

“Following her disappearance on 2 December, officers of the RVIPF, HM Customs along with members of the Anegada community initiated an intensive five-day ground search for the Anegadian resident while an aerial search was conducted by the U.S. Coast Guard.

Along with the additional RVIPF officers sent to Anegada, community volunteers from Tortola also sailed to Anegada to help in the search, including a contingency from the Red Cross, HM Customs and the U.S.V.I. Police Department with specially trained cadaver dogs. Unfortunately, Mrs. Faulkner-Clinton was not found,” stated the release.

The release further stated that in January 2013 RVIPF officers, including detectives from the Major Crime Team, again carried out a further, more intensive three day search of Anegada for the 77-year-old native based on further information received as a result of the ongoing investigation into her disappearance. During this time, officers re-canvassed witnesses and again were joined by community members and officers from the U.S. Virgin Islands and their cadaver dogs in searching for Mrs. Faulkner-Clinton, unfortunately she was not found.

Further searches of Anegada had been carried out by the RVIPF in May concentrating around the Methodist Church where Mrs Clinton-Faulkner was last seen and expanding outwards and again in July around the Salt Ponds.

On May 14, 2013 the Acting Commissioner along with Detectives from the Major Crime Team and local officers met with the Clinton-Faulkner family in Anegada and briefed them on the investigation to trace the whereabouts of Mrs. Faulkner-Clinton seeking any further information that could usefully progress the enquiry. Unfortunately to date there has been no trace of Mrs Faulkner-Clinton and all lines of enquiry have been exhausted.

Therefore in response to these new search efforts being undertaken by the family, the Commissioner of Police David Morris fully welcomes the support of the Klaas Kids Foundation.

“We recognise that there is a real need for closure for the Clinton-Faulkner family. It is also our desire to see such closure. The investigation is still alive and active and we welcome any assistance in helping to solve this case. We welcome the specialised search skills of KKF and hope that their expertise will help find Mrs. Faulkner-Clinton or at least help to establish what actually happened to her,” he noted in the release.

The RVIPF will be sending officers from several units, including the Major Crime Team, Scenes of Crime, Territorial Policing and Task Force to assist and support KKF. In addition, the Force is appealing for volunteers to help in the community search during the period September 20-23, 2013.