Photo: getty
No one has seen him in days.
By Rebecca Jane Stokes — Written on Apr 13, 2019
We all look for different things when we go away on vacation. Maybe we want to spend our days reading lazily by a pool or the open ocean, or maybe you're one of those people who enjoys something more active. Your idea of some rest and relaxation involves strapping yourself onto a rock face and going for an adrenaline-inducing climb!
No matter what makes the ideal vacation for you, we all have the same concerns when we travel: we want to be happy, we want to have fun, and above all other things, we want to know that we're going to be safe. One couple from the New York area, Orlando Moore and Portia Ravenelle, recently took a vacation of their own...but they haven't been heard from since. Here's what we know about their disappearance so far.
1. The Missing Couple
On March 23, Orlando Moore, 43, and Portia Ravenelle, 32, were eager to head out and enjoy a much-needed getaway. The Mount Vernon, New York-based couple was reportedly looking forward to their trip to the Dominican Republic, though it wasn't going to last for very long. The couple could only afford a handful of days and had plans to return on March 27th.
It is now nearly mid-April and no one has heard from the couple or seen them since. Now, several news outlets are reporting that the government has finally gotten involved to help get to the bottom of this mysterious disappearance. Details are scant, but more are bound to surface as the hunt for this missing couple continues.
2. Their Family
It goes without saying the families must be absolutely terrified. It's every traveler's worst nightmare that when they go abroad they will be put in a dangerous situation. It's what their friends and family back home worry about too when they wave adieu to their loved ones.
The New York Post reached out to Moore's aunt, who opened up about her concerns. “I’m very worried,” said Moore's aunt. “I am hoping that somewhere, they’re being held against their will and they’re alive. But as time goes by, we start thinking that something strange has happened.” Moore's grandmother said the following to CNN: “When these things happen, you always think of the worst, but we are hoping for the best."
3. The State's Involvement
People magazine reached out to the relevant authorities to find out how the investigation was proceeding and received the following statement from the State Department: “We are aware of reports regarding a U.S. couple missing in the Dominican Republic. The welfare and safety of U.S. citizens abroad is one of the highest priorities of the Department of State.”
But of course, the department has to keep the small amount of information they do have mostly under wraps in order to make sure they do their best by the missing couple. “Due to privacy considerations, we have no further information to offer at this time," the statement added.
4. Suspicious Details
Obviously, the couple vanished under strange circumstances. Their families have been trying to contact them since they left for their trip, but now say the phones are going straight to voicemail, leaving them to believe that their phones have either lost their charge completely or that they have been shut off. Either way, it's not news any desperate family wants to hear.
Another detail that is particularly unnerving is the fact that neither one checked out of their hotel room on the day they were due to head out. Apparently, locals warned them early on about muggings in the area, something they took in stride.
5. The Eye Witnesses
The last people believed to have seen the couple or to have spoken with them is another couple who were also vacationing in the area. Cheryl Freeman and her boyfriend Carter Washington hung out with the couple during their trip. According to them, the duo planned on heading out very early in order to catch a flight in the wee morning hours more than 100 miles from where they were staying.
Currently, the State Department is still working with the local authorities to what they can to find the couple and bring them home safely.
Rebecca Jane Stokes is a writer living in Brooklyn, New York with her cats, Batman and Margot. Her work focuses on relationships, pop culture and news. For more of her work, check out her Tumblr.