Leta Cordes, 49 From CA MSG in St. Maarten's since 01-12-08

[Grande]

Vacationing O.C. woman missing all week
Thursday, January 17, 2008

SAINT MAARTEN, Caribbean (KABC) -- There's growing concern over the disappearance of an Orange County woman who's been missing for nearly a week.

http://i6.tinypic.com/6le6mjd.jpg

Leta Lynn Cordes vanished while vacationing on the small Caribbean island of Saint Maarten. The Mission Viejo woman has not been seen since Friday when she left her vacation home to go gambling, according to Cordes' husband of 20 years. 3

He says she had been drinking and decided to walk to a nearby casino with only her ID and $100 in cash, but when he woke up the next morning she had not returned home.

"My first reaction was, I was scared to death because it's not like her. That was my first reaction because she's never not come home all night -- never ever," said Cary Honstein, the missing woman's friend.

Cordes' friend, who spent the holidays with the couple in the Caribbean, says it's not like her to simply disappear.

Cordes husband is staying in Saint Maarten to help with the search.

http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=news/local&id=5897512

[Grande]

Still no trace of missing woman
Netherlands Antilles Daily Herald, Netherlands Antilles - 3 hours ago

DAWN BEACH--The search is still ongoing for US citizen Leta Lynn Cordes, who went missing on Friday, January 11, the police reported on Wednesday.

Cordes, who was vacationing here with her husband Frank, was last seen by him on Friday, January 11, around 11:00pm when she left their home on foot to go to the nearby Westin Casino. She has not returned home or contacted anyone since then.

A search to locate the 49-year-old woman started when her husband filed a report with the police on Saturday, January 12, that his wife was missing, but up to now has had no positive results.

Police spokesman Inspector Ricardo Henson said Wednesday that a search had been carried out by the police K-9 unit on Tuesday afternoon. He said the search would continue.

The Police Department is asking anyone who may have any information that could help locate Leta Cordes to call the station.

Leta Cordes is from Mission Viejo, California, and has been visiting the island for more than 20 years. Her husband is of German nationality. Together they own a house in Dawn Beach, which they built last year.

On Friday, after dinner in a Grand Case restaurant, Leta Cordes decided to go to Westin Casino, where she was a regular guest, said her best friend Cary Honstein during a telephone interview with The Daily Herald.

“We suspect that something bad happened to her. I have known her for 22 years. Leta is not the person to disappear for a few days and come back again,” Honstein said. “She may look like a fun and voluptuous person, but she’s not the type to be picked up by a guy and come back a few days later.”

Police reported Cordes as known to be a compulsive drinker and a heavy gambler. Honstein confirmed that Cordes had been drinking that night and that she was a regular guest at the casino, which is a short distance from her vacation home.

“She comes there quite often. That night, her husband Frank had given her US $100 to go to the casino. We told her not to go, but she was very persistent. She went there on foot. Frank went after her a little later to see if she was safe, but he did not find her on the road, so he expected her to be in the casino already.”

The casino closes at 4:00am, and when Leta Cordes had not come home by 7:00am her family suspected something was wrong.

“Of course we enquired whether somebody had seen her at the Westin, but up till now nobody has come forward to confirm that she was in the casino that night,” Honstein said.

Cordes’ son Rory Bryant (29) flew in from the US on Tuesday to assist in the search for his missing mother. The police have advised Frank Cordes not to speak to the media.

http://www.thedailyherald.com/news/daily/k205/missing205.html

[Grande]

O.C. woman missing in St. Martin
She was last seen a week ago heading by foot to a casino on the Caribbean island. Police there are investigating.
By H.G. Reza, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
January 19, 2008

A Mission Viejo woman visiting the Caribbean island St. Martin vanished a week ago while on a nighttime walk to a casino, her husband said Friday.

Leta Lynn Cordes was last seen Jan. 11 shortly before 11 p.m. when she left their vacation home for the Westin St. Martin hotel to gamble, her husband, Frank Cordes, said.

"The Westin is about 10 minutes away walking time," Cordes said in a telephone interview from the island. "She had made that walk before."

According to Cordes, the couple had spent the evening drinking with friends and returned home by car. Leta Cordes, 49, stayed sleeping in the back seat while he went to bed, Cordes said.

About 10:45 p.m. his wife awakened him to ask for money for gambling and the car keys, Cordes said.

But she was "much too drunk," and he tried to persuade her to stay home, he said. Leta Cordes left the house on foot, heading for the casino. Cordes said she refused to let him drive her.

Leta Cordes' son, Rory Bryant, said she never went anywhere without telling her family where she was going. Bryant, of Lake Forest, has gone to St. Martin to assist in the search for his mother.

Judy Honstein said she and her daughter Cary have known Leta Cordes for 20 years and she "is not a person hiding out somewhere afraid to call."

Cary Honstein said she is "feeling more and more hopeless" as the search for her friend enters the second week. She spent the holidays with the Cordeses at the their island home, returning Jan. 4.

On Friday, the Honsteins met with an Orange County sheriff's investigator. Sheriff's spokesman Jim Amormino said investigators will turn over information they gather to St. Martin authorities, who are in charge of the search.

A St. Martin police spokesman said Friday that there was no indication that Leta Cordes had met with foul play.

Ricardo Henson said Frank Cordes reported his wife missing Jan. 12, and police and canine units have been searching for her all week.

An FBI spokeswoman in Los Angeles said the agency has offered to assist St. Martin in the investigation.

There was no word on whether the offer was accepted.

Cordes, 42, said he and his wife have been regular visitors to the island, part of the Netherlands Antilles, for several years.

He said investigators cautioned him not to reveal too much information about the case or his family.

Police released a picture of the missing woman, showing her with long blond hair. Cordes said the local media "has run with the photo and sensationalized the case."

Cary Honstein said she was not surprised that Leta Cordes ignored her husband's request to stay home after a night of drinking.

"If she makes up her mind to do something, she's going to do it," she said.

Honstein said the Cordeses have been together for more than 20 years and described them as happy together.

hgreza@latimes.com

http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/california/la-me-missing19jan19,1,6502233.story?coll=la-headlines-pe-california

[Grande]

Police still searching for missing woman

PHILIPSBURG--The Police is still searching for American citizen Leta Lynn Cordes (49), who was reported missing in the Dawn Beach area on January 12

She was last seen by her husband at their home before she left on foot to go to the casino at Westin Resort. She has not returned home since or contacted her husband, family or friends.

In the meantime, Police investigations have gone into full swing. Persons including Cordes’ husband and other family members were questioned and several searches have been carried out by the police K-9 unit since last week Tuesday.

Up till Monday no traces of the missing woman were found, said Police spokesman Chief Inspector Johan ‘Janchie’ Leonard. He added that the searches would continue.

Leonard said there were no indications so far that the woman had been victim of a crime. “We are still handling this case as that of a missing person,” Leonard said. He urged anyone with information about the missing woman to contact the Detective Department at 542-2222.

Leta Cordes is from Mission Viejo, California, and has been visiting the island for more than 20 years. Together with her husband she’s the owner of a house in Dawn Beach.

http://www.thedailyherald.com/news/daily/k209/missing209.html

[emmeblu]

hmmmmm, did I read they do not suspect foul play? Woman disappears after leaving on foot, drunk, to go to casino. Well, I'd say something happened to her unless she ran away which I really doubt.

:1222423:Leta Cordes. Her son is there now so hopefully, she will be found or some tips will come in for LE.

[Grande]

No evidence found that Cordes visited Casino

DAWN BEACH--No evidence has been found that missing US citizen Leta Cordes visited Westin St. Maarten Dawn Beach Resort & Spa on the night of Friday, January 11, the resort reported Tuesday.

“Upon review of the surveillance tapes from the evening of Friday, January 11, the resort security and surveillance staff found no footage of her [Leta Cordes] entering the resort or casino. Additionally, the casino security director and staff reported not seeing her in the casino that evening,” the resort said in a press release sent to The Daily Herald.

The resort said it wished to extend its support to the family of Leta Cordes, who has not been seen since Friday, January 11.

It also noted that Cortes, a part-time resident of St. Maarten “and a frequent guest of the resort’s casino” had reportedly indicated to her husband Frank Cordes on the night of January 11 that she was going to the Westin St. Maarten’s casino.

The resort said it continues to cooperate fully with authorities and to implement its measures to ensure the safety of its guests. These measures include employment of a director of security, a director of surveillance and security staff, as well as the use of security cameras, trained managers on duty and security gates manned by security officers.

http://www.thedailyherald.com/news/daily/k210/cordes210.html

[KittyMom]

So, her hubby says she left to go to the casino but they can't find proof that she ever entered? So, next I ask...

Did she drive?
Was her car found?
Who was the last person to have some contact with her other than her hubby?

[Grande]

Missing O.C. woman a no-show at resort
By H.G. Reza, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
January 23, 2008

A Mission Viejo woman who disappeared this month while reportedly walking to a casino on the Caribbean island St. Maarten never arrived at the resort, a spokeswoman said.

Frank Cordes, 42, said his wife, Leta Lynn Cordes, 49, left their island vacation home -- where they had gone to spend the holidays -- about 11 p.m. Jan. 11 and walked to the Westin St. Maarten Hotel, about 10 minutes away.

But surveillance tapes from that evening show that she never entered the hotel or casino, said Westin spokeswoman Karen Gee-McAuley.

"She's a regular customer," Gee-McAuley said, adding that the hotel and casino staff "know what she looks like. She wasn't there that night."

None of the casino employees "reported seeing her that evening," she said. The surveillance tapes were turned over to local authorities after being reviewed by security personnel.

On Tuesday, Cordes said he had heard "conflicting accounts" about whether his wife had arrived at the casino. He said the local media reported that she was seen at the casino, but "this has not been 100% verified by police."

Cordes said he had been stymied in his efforts to obtain information from Westin officials because they refuse to talk to him. Gee-McAuley said he should be talking to police because they are in charge of the investigation.

St. Maarten police declined to comment Tuesday.

Cordes said, however, that he met Tuesday with a "special task force" of investigators who asked him "redundant questions" about his wife's disappearance. He said the investigators apparently were working independently of the police detectives investigating the case, but he was not sure if they were all from St. Maarten.

Last week, the FBI offered to assist local authorities, but Cordes said he had not met with any U.S. law enforcement officials.

Cordes said the task force buoyed his hopes that investigators "are in a search for a live wife" because he believes the probe by local police has turned into a search for a body.

Last year, Orange County sheriff's deputies responded to a domestic violence call at the couple's Mission Viejo home. Cordes said he called authorities when his wife became violent after they had argued. He said his wife chased him into his home office and was banging on the door with a hammer.

Cary Honstein, a friend of the missing woman, said Tuesday that Leta Lynn Cordes called her the night of the incident in January 2007 and said that Frank Cordes "had laid hands on her."

Cordes denied hitting his wife and said he had been slapped by her. He said she "went on a rampage" over a dispute about life insurance and threw household objects at him.

Sheriff's spokesman Jim Amormino said deputies defused the situation and there were no arrests.

Cordes said he and his wife had enjoyed a "harmonious relationship" since the incident.

The couple built a vacation home in St. Maarten last year and had been vacationing there for seven years, he said.

Cordes said he arrived Dec. 3 and his wife eight days later to celebrate the holidays. The couple work as computer animators from an office in their home.

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-missing23jan23,1,519740.story?coll=la-headlines-california

[Grande]

Wednesday, January 23, 2008
St. Maarten officials unresponsive in FBI offer to search for missing woman
FBI has offered assistance in the case of a missing Mission Viejo woman in St. Maarten.
By SALVADOR HERNANDEZ
The Orange County Register

St. Maarten police have not yet responded to an offer made by the FBI to help in the search of a missing Mission Viejo woman on the island, authorities said today.

Leta Lynn Cordes, of Mission Viejo, went missing on the Caribbean island of St. Maarten on Jan. 11 after authorities said she told her husband she was going to walk to a nearby casino to gamble.

Local police said they have found no trace of the 49-year-old woman.

Frank Cordes, her husband, remains on the island and said he fears his wife might have been the victim of foul play, although authorities have said they have not found evidence of that.

Earlier this week, the FBI volunteered to aid local authorities in the search for the woman. In a telephone interview today, St. Maarten's Public Prosecutor Taco Stein said investigators are reviewing the status of the case and have not decided whether to accept the bureau's offer.

"At this point, I heard the offer has been made, but we have not replied," Stein said.

The FBI frequently volunteers to aid foreign law enforcement agencies in cases involving missing Americans by providing resources and personnel, said FBI spokeswoman Laura Eimiller. In those cases, the FBI provides assistance and local agencies remain in charge of the investigations.

St. Maarten police have combed the 37-square-mile island with search dogs but have not found a sign of Leta Lynn Cordes.

Frank Cordes said his wife left their island home after the couple returned from having dinner and drinks with his mother. The three had been drinking and Leta left on foot at about 11 p.m. for the Westin St. Maarten casino, about 10 minutes away.

The couple and their friends have visited the island regularly for the last seven years and frequently walked along an unlit road that leads to the casino, Cordes said.

Cordes volunteered to drive her to the casino, but his wife decided to walk instead, he said.

On Tuesday, investigators interviewed Cordes for the second time and asked him detailed questions about who the couple had come into contact since they arrived on the island in December.

http://www.ocregister.com/news/cordes-island-maarten-1965009-fbi-casino

[Grande]

US $5,000 reward for Leta Cordes

DAWN BEACH--Frank Cordes, husband of US citizen Leta Lynn Cordes who went missing on Saturday, January 12, has announced a US $5,000 reward for information on the whereabouts of his wife.

Cordes said media reports indicating he had left the island were untrue. He told The Daily Herald yesterday that he had plans to travel to California, USA, today, Wednesday, if there was a flight available. In California, he will be meeting with Leta’s family to discuss details of the case.

Cordes said that in California he would also be transferring a sum of money to an RBTT bank account that holds the reward money for any person who comes forward with information regarding Leta’s whereabouts.

Cordes stressed that his departure was in no way an attempt to flee from the ongoing investigation. He said the police authorities were fully aware of his trip and he would be returning to the island in about three to four weeks.

Leta Cordes has been missing now for two weeks and four days. She was vacationing here with her husband Frank, who last saw her on Friday, January 11, around 11:00pm when she left their home on foot to go to the casino at the nearby Westin St. Maarten Dawn Beach Resort & Spa.

http://www.thedailyherald.com/news/daily/k216/cordes216.html

[Grande]

I think it's pretty clear the direction this investigation is headed, JMO.

[Grande]

Husband of missing O.C. woman interviewed second time by police;
Frank Cordes says St. Maarten police asked about evening she disappeared.
The Orange County Register (California)
January 23, 2008 Wednesday
By SALVADOR HERNANDEZ; The Orange County Register

ABSTRACT

Frank Cordes said he was interviewed for the second time by police in St. Maarten.

FULL TEXT

Police in St. Maarten interviewed Frank Cordes for the second time Tuesday morning as his wife, Leta Lynn Cordes, remains missing in the Caribbean island.

Two investigators with the St. Maarten police questioned Cordes about the couple's time on the island and asked detailed questions about who the couple had come into contact with since they arrived on the island in December, Frank Cordes said.

Leta Lynn Cordes, 49, has been missing since Jan. 11. According to Frank Cordes, his wife told him that she was going to walk to a nearby casino. Frank Cordes said he, his wife and his mother had been drinking in a restaurant earlier that night.

Ricardo Henson, a St. Maarten police investigator, has stated that authorities verified that Leta Lynn Cordes made it to the casino that night.

But in a written statement, the public relations firm representing the Westin St. Maarten casino said there was no trace of Cordes in surveillance tapes, and the staff did not report seeing her in the establishment.

Laura Eimiller, a spokeswoman for the FBI, said the bureau has volunteered its help to the St. Maarten police, who are leading the investigation.

949-454-7361 or shernandez@ocregister.com

http://www6.lexisnexis.com/publisher/EndUser?Action=UserDisplayFullDocument&orgId=574&topicId=100020825&docId=l:733224812&start=24

[Grande]

Volunteers to search for Leta Cordes on Sunday

PHILIPSBURG--The Voluntary Corps St. Maarten VKS will be conducting an extensive search for missing US citizen Leta Lynn Cordes on Sunday. Residents are being encouraged to volunteer and join in the search.

Police spokesman Chief Inspector Johan “Janchi” Leonard said that as a concerned citizen and representative of the local Police Force, he had sent the search request to VKS Commander Jean Illidge, who had accepted and assigned VKS member Allan Richardson as coordinator of the search.

Serious volunteers are invited to show up at Sundial School in Philipsburg on Sunday, February 3, at 6:00am with appropriate hiking gear.

Leonard stressed that locating Cordes was very important, as this ongoing case could have severe international implications for the island.

Cordes has been missing since Saturday, January 12. In the meantime, her husband Frank Cordes has announced a US $5,000 reward for information about his wife’s whereabouts.

http://www.thedailyherald.com/news/daily/k217/search217.html

[KittyMom]

Better figure out where hubby was that night.

[Grande]

Nothing found in search for Cordes

DAWN BEACH--The hope that US citizen Leta Cordes would be found yesterday was dashed when not a trace of evidence was found to suggest what might have happened to her.

The Voluntary Corps St. Maarten VKS, representatives of the Tourist Bureau, the Dominican Republic Consulate, National General Insurance Corporation NAGICO, and Sheriff Security, friends of Cordes and several other concerned civilians joined in on the search.

The VKS coordinated the search, splitting the 30 or more volunteers into two groups. One group was taken to Guana Bay where they hiked to the Red Pond area with some VKS members. The next group was taken with other VKS members to Westin St. Maarten Dawn Beach Resort & Spa, where they followed the path back towards the house where Cordes and her husband had been residing.

All of the volunteers gathered at Sundial School at 6:00am and were taken to the locations on the back of an army truck just before 7:00am. The police helicopter also provided assistance by scanning the area while the volunteers searched on foot. Volunteers were instructed to report to the VKS members immediately if anything was found.

VKS member Allan Richardson, coordinator of the search, said the exercise, which lasted about three hours, had gone very smoothly and the effort by volunteers had been 100 per cent. He said the teams had combed the areas extensively, with no result. He said further assistance in the case would have to be requested by Police Chief Inspector Johan “Janchi” Leonard.

Tourist Bureau Director Regina Labega, who was among the members of the search teams, commented that although the hope of finding some clues had not materialised, the turnout for the search had showed the good spirit of those taking the initiative.

http://www.thedailyherald.com/news/daily/k220/search220.html

[KittyMom]

So, I would say that the lack of evidence in the search would strongly suggest that she never left her home that night. :eyebrow1qb:

[Grande]

So, I would say that the lack of evidence in the search would strongly suggest that she never left her home that night. :eyebrow1qb:

Sounds like a likely scenario.

[Grande]

Cordes insists not involved in his wife’s disappearance
~ Curious about Westin’s statements ~

BUSH ROAD--Frank Cordes, husband of missing US citizen Leta Lynn Cordes, lashed out Monday at suggestions that he might have been involved in his wife’s disappearance.

Cordes told The Daily Herald the suggestions had been made and continued to be made on the Internet and apparently were based on a domestic disturbance call he had made a year ago when he and his wife had been engaged in a scuffle over medical insurance (not life insurance as had been reported by some sections of the media).

He said his wife had come after him with a knife and he had reported the situation.

He said Leta Cordes’ family would be releasing an advertisement countering the allegations.

Cordes insisted he was not a violent person. He admitted Leta had issues, as she had been taking anti-depressants that would make her “psychotic” and “temperamental” if not taken regularly. However, he said, in response to her behaviour on occasion he had never felt it appropriate to argue with her, as sometimes she would be drunk as well.

Cordes strongly believes something happened to his wife in the vicinity of The Westin St. Maarten Dawn Beach Resort & Spa. His belief is based on what he considers inconsistent statements by the resort’s management and employees who, he said, had indicated the day after Leta went missing that she had been seen entering the Westin casino, but then had stated otherwise 12 days later.

Cordes said he did not hold the resort liable for his wife’s disappearance, but believed that, as the security system at the casino was in its infant stage and employees might be pressured by management, previous statements were being denied based on uncertainty. Additionally, he said, to his knowledge one of the security officers at the casino is a police officer and apparently had only released security camera footage of that night to one other police officer.

He said Leta could or could not have been seen on the specific footage, but all areas around the casino were not equipped with cameras. Therefore, he assumes Leta could have had an altercation in the bathrooms or could have met someone, gone back to their room and left with them, although she did not have her passport with her.

In an invited comment, the manager on duty at the resort stated that the resort’s statement remained that she had never made it to the resort’s vicinity.

Cordes said his mother had arrived from Germany in the afternoon of the night his wife had disappeared, and could account for the 10 minutes he had taken to drive to and from the resort after Leta had left on foot for the casino. He said he had not gone past the resort’s gate, as he had assumed Leta was safe once in the vicinity of the resort.

He said no statements had been taken from his mother, because she could only speak German. However, his mother was there when Leta, who was intoxicated and had been sleeping in the car, entered the house demanding US $200 to go to the casino. He said he had refused to give her the money as he did not want her to leave the house in the state she was in. Leta, he said, became upset and went upstairs. After 10 to 15 minutes he went upstairs and discovered that she was gone.

As police authorities are now targeting him, Cordes said it had ruined his reputation. He said assumptions were being formalised based on opinions instead of facts. He said that as a result, Leta’s family, who did not suspect his involvement, was looking into having the FBI investigate The Westin and demand that the security tapes of the night be revealed.

In the meantime, the US $5,000 reward is still being offered to anyone coming forward with valid information on her disappearance.

http://www.thedailyherald.com/news/daily/k221/cordes221.html

[LisaKay]

OK, the Husband leaves her sleeping in the car. She wakes up and then goes into the house and wakes him up wanting car keys and money to go to the casino. He gives her the money but not the keys because she had to much to drink. Then goes looking for her can't find her and assumes she is OK at the casino........Then I guess he goes home and back to bed? This defiantly looks like she never left the house that night or even possibly did not even make it home from that dinner with the husband at all. The dogs would have picked up on a sent if she had left down the street on foot, right? Something is very wrong here people.

[Grande]

OK, the Husband leaves her sleeping in the car. She wakes up and then goes into the house and wakes him up wanting car keys and money to go to the casino. He gives her the money but not the keys because she had to much to drink. Then goes looking for her can't find her and assumes she is OK at the casino........Then I guess he goes home and back to bed? This defiantly looks like she never left the house that night or even possibly did not even make it home from that dinner with the husband at all. The dogs would have picked up on a sent if she had left down the street on foot, right? Something is very wrong here people.

Agreed, something is most definitely wrong here.

[KittyMom]

Hubby's statement sounds like...boo-hoo-hoo. And he backs it up with "my mommy can verify for me" :71541: Oh, he's involved alright...right up to his ears.

[LisaKay]

KittyMom I hate to say this because I have a son, a good son I might add. However I am finding out by most of these sad stories that most of the men do run right to mommy! It's amazing how many of them do. My mommy was with me, my mommy was visiting me, I was visiting my mommy, I was with my parents. Something stinks here!

[Grande]

US $25,000 reward for info about Leta Cordes

~ Permission received to search on French side ~

PHILIPSBURG--The family and friends of missing American citizen Leta Cordes have raised and are now offering a US $25,000 reward for her safe return or for the conviction of anyone who might be responsible for her disappearance.

Cordes’ family and friends had earlier offered a $5,000 reward for information about her whereabouts.

Cordes, who was reported missing on Saturday, January 12, was a frequent visitor to the island and was vacationing here with her husband Frank when she disappeared.

The husband said he had last seen her on around 11:00pm Friday, January 11, when she left their home on foot to go to the casino at the nearby Westin St. Maarten Dawn Beach Resort & Spa.

She has not been seen or heard from since and extensive searches involving the police, members of the Voluntary Corps St. Maarten VKS and volunteers in several parts of the island have found no trace of her.

A source close to the Cordes family told The Daily Herald late Monday, that Dutch side officials had “finally got permission from the French side” to allow searches for Leta Cordes to take place there.

The report could not be confirmed with the police last night.

The source noted that such permission was only now being granted, one month after Leta Cordes had disappeared. The Cordes family, the source said, was concerned about the seeming lack of a sense of urgency in the matter.

http://www.thedailyherald.com/news/daily/k227/cordes227.html

[Grande]

Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Several people on St. Maarten report seeing missing O.C. woman
Family of Mission Viejo woman increases reward to $25,000.
By SALVADOR HERNANDEZ
The Orange County Register

Several people in St. Maarten said they have seen the missing American woman with a "777" tattoo in hotels and stores, but all tips have led to dead ends, authorities said.

Pictures of Leta Lynn Cordes have been posted around the 37-square-mile Caribbean island and news of her disappearance Jan. 11 has been reported in local media. Since then, several people have reported seeing the 49-year-old Mission Viejo woman, but all tips have turned out to be unfounded, said Taco Stein, public prosecutor in St. Maarten.

Meanwhile, Cordes' husband and family increased a reward of $5,000 to $25,000 for information leading to finding her, or prosecution of anyone who may have done her harm.

Police have said they have found no evidence that Cordes was the victim of foul play, but family and friends believe something may have happened to her while she was walking to a nearby casino late at night.

Stein said police are still actively searching for Cordes on the Dutch and French sides of the island, which is divided between the two governments.

The FBI has offered to assist St. Maarten police in their search, but investigators have decided not to take the offer at this time, Stein said.

"We're not at the end of our wits yet," Stein said.

Investigators are still following other options, he said.

Frank Cordes said he last saw his wife after they returned from having dinner with his mother. The three had been drinking at a restaurant that night, and when they arrived at their island home, Leta Cordes told him she wanted to gamble.

Leta Cordes asked for a ride to the Westin Hotel casino and Frank said he would drive her, although she would have to walk back. Leta Cordes decided to make the 10- to 15-minute walk to the casino instead.

Minutes later, Frank Cordes said, he drove to the casino to make sure she made it to there. He assumed she was inside when he didn't see her on the road. The next morning, Leta Cordes didn't return.

Frank Cordes said he is not sure if his wife made it to the casino that night, where she was a regular patron. Police told him previously that they had verified she was at the hotel that night, then told him they could not confirm that information.

In a previous interview, a spokesman for the St. Maarten police said investigators confirmed that Leta Cordes had entered the casino that night.

In a phone interview today, Stein said the spokesman may have been misquoted. According to video obtained from the hotel, Leta Cordes was never there that day, Stein said.

Investigators are working to piece together the couple's last days together on the island, Stein said. They have also requested information from the FBI, although Stein would not specify what.

Authorities might also request heat-sensing equipment from the FBI to help in the search, Stein said.

http://www.ocregister.com/news/cordes-stein-leta-1979630-casino-night

[PatC]

Isn't it a little late (over a month later) for heat sensing equipment to do much good?

[Grande]

Leta Cordes family cries foul over missing reward money
~ We used money for research, says Honstein ~

PHILIPSBURG--The family of missing American tourist Leta Cordes (49) demanded on Wednesday the return of thousands of dollars withdrawn recently from a joint bank account established to pay out a reward for the missing woman’s rescue.

US $7,000 was withdrawn just days ago from a US bank account opened soon after Cordes disappeared on January 11 somewhere near Dawn Beach. The woman’s family blamed two former friends of the family for taking the money, leaking confidential information to the media, and “smearing” her husband’s name.

The Arrowhead Credit Union account in Corona, California, was left with $200 following the withdrawal.

Ousted family friend Cary Honstein admitted yesterday to withdrawing the funds, saying the money had been needed to pay for “research”

“We shifted the funds out for research,” Honstein told The Daily Herald in a telephone interview Wednesday, but he refused to give details about the research. He referred this newspaper to another ousted friend, Elaine Karas and said, “… if Frank wants his [portion of the money] back, we will give it to him.”

This newspaper was suddenly disconnected from a telephone interview with Honstein in the U.S. while requesting Karas’ contact information, and was greeted with an answering machine when attempting to resume the interview.

Cordes’ son Rory Bryant told this newspaper he had not been told about the withdrawal in advance. He also said recent media reports about a sudden spike in the reward being offered to US $25,000, citing a source R.B. as a relative, had been incorrect. “They never contacted me [in any way],” he said from his office in the U.S.

According to Cordes’ husband Frank, Karas had become Windward Islands Chief Prosecutor Taco Stein’s contact person to the family and, apparently, the source feeding “confidential information” to sections of the media.

“They are smearing me with leading headlines like “Has he left island?” Cordes said about the women he blamed for trying to vilify him.

Stein confirmed that he had been in contact with Karas about the investigation, but said he knew nothing about Honstein, whom the family considers the mouthpiece of the ongoing investigation.

Bryant explained that the joint account had been devised “very early on” at a time when they all wanted to share involvement in the stakes of the reward. “[It was a joint account] because none of us wanted full responsibility [over the funds],” Bryant said, adding that they had all been very close at the start.

“We were a support group for each other,” he added.

The relationship fell apart, he said, when Frank was being demonised and the women began speaking out of turn and without the approval of the family.

In a written statement to this newspaper delivered through Frank Cordes, Leta Cordes’ brother James McLondon said, “There are actually no family members in the group and they do not work on behalf of the family.”

The announcement that the reward had been stepped up from $5,000 to $25,000 was made without the approval of the family, Bryant said, adding that they “are misrepresenting who they are.”

Cordes went missing on a Friday night when reportedly on her way to the casino at The Westin Dawn Beach St. Maarten Resort and Spa.

On Wednesday Frank Cordes again flatly denied any involvement in her disappearance and dismissed as laughable reports that he owned a pistol and silencer.

The police are investigating.

http://www.thedailyherald.com/news/daily/k253/reward253.html

[Grande]

<Snipped>

He also denied reports that the Leta Cordes search team had found a human skeleton on the French side days ago. This turned out to be animal bones, not human.

http://www.thedailyherald.com/news/daily/k287/crime287.html

[Grande]

Mission Viejo man held in wife's disappearance on Caribbean island
St. Maarten police arrest Frank Cordes at his island home as prosecutors announce that they have uncovered new evidence about his wife, who has not been seen since Jan. 11.
By H.G. Reza, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
October 16, 2008

The husband of a Mission Viejo woman missing since January on the Caribbean island St. Maarten has been arrested by local authorities as a suspect in her disappearance, law enforcement officials said Wednesday.

Frank Cordes was arrested Tuesday at his island home by detectives, said St. Maarten police spokesman Ricardo Henson.

Cordes' wife, Leta Lynn, 49, left the couple's vacation home Jan. 11, reportedly telling her husband she was walking to a nearby casino. She has not been seen since.

"Right now, he is being held in connection with his wife's disappearance," Henson said. He said prosecutors announced that they had uncovered new evidence, but declined to elaborate.

The Daily Herald, an island newspaper, reported Wednesday that prosecutors alerted local media two weeks ago that there was new evidence in the case but offered no further details.

The paper said detectives removed bags of clothing and other personal items from Cordes' home when he was arrested.

The arrest was confirmed by Orange County Sheriff's Department homicide Det. Brian Sutton.

He said the department assisted St. Maarten police by interviewing associates, friends and relatives of the couple in Southern California.

"My understanding of their legal system is that they can keep Cordes for 48 hours and then show a judge that they have good reason to hold him longer," Sutton said.

In an interview about a week after his wife's disappearance, Cordes said they had spent the night drinking with friends and returned home by car. Cordes said he went inside the house and fell asleep but his wife remained in the vehicle, asleep in the back seat.

According to Cordes, his wife awakened him shortly before 11 p.m. and asked for money for gambling and the car keys. He said he tried to persuade her to stay home, but that she left on foot for the Westin St. Maarten Hotel, about a 10-minute walk.

A hotel spokeswoman said surveillance tapes from that evening show that she never entered the hotel or casino.

An Orange County sheriff's spokesman said deputies responded to a domestic violence call at the Cordes' Mission Viejo home in January 2007, but no arrests were made.

Cordes said he called authorities when his wife became violent after arguing over life insurance. He said she chased him into his home office with a hammer.

hgreza@latimes.com

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-missing16-2008oct16,0,7771167.story

[PinkPony]

Mission Viejo man held in wife's disappearance on Caribbean island
St. Maarten police arrest Frank Cordes at his island home as prosecutors announce that they have uncovered new evidence about his wife, who has not been seen since Jan. 11.
By H.G. Reza, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
October 16, 2008

The husband of a Mission Viejo woman missing since January on the Caribbean island St. Maarten has been arrested by local authorities as a suspect in her disappearance, law enforcement officials said Wednesday.

Frank Cordes was arrested Tuesday at his island home by detectives, said St. Maarten police spokesman Ricardo Henson.

Cordes' wife, Leta Lynn, 49, left the couple's vacation home Jan. 11, reportedly telling her husband she was walking to a nearby casino. She has not been seen since.

"Right now, he is being held in connection with his wife's disappearance," Henson said. He said prosecutors announced that they had uncovered new evidence, but declined to elaborate.

The Daily Herald, an island newspaper, reported Wednesday that prosecutors alerted local media two weeks ago that there was new evidence in the case but offered no further details.

The paper said detectives removed bags of clothing and other personal items from Cordes' home when he was arrested.

The arrest was confirmed by Orange County Sheriff's Department homicide Det. Brian Sutton.

He said the department assisted St. Maarten police by interviewing associates, friends and relatives of the couple in Southern California.

"My understanding of their legal system is that they can keep Cordes for 48 hours and then show a judge that they have good reason to hold him longer," Sutton said.

In an interview about a week after his wife's disappearance, Cordes said they had spent the night drinking with friends and returned home by car. Cordes said he went inside the house and fell asleep but his wife remained in the vehicle, asleep in the back seat.

According to Cordes, his wife awakened him shortly before 11 p.m. and asked for money for gambling and the car keys. He said he tried to persuade her to stay home, but that she left on foot for the Westin St. Maarten Hotel, about a 10-minute walk.

A hotel spokeswoman said surveillance tapes from that evening show that she never entered the hotel or casino.

An Orange County sheriff's spokesman said deputies responded to a domestic violence call at the Cordes' Mission Viejo home in January 2007, but no arrests were made.

Cordes said he called authorities when his wife became violent after arguing over life insurance. He said she chased him into his home office with a hammer.

hgreza@latimes.com

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-missing16-2008oct16,0,7771167.story



Finally.....something about this guy just hasn't set right with me from the start.

Now, hopefully, he will give up what happened to Leta.

PP

[grammybears]

The whole story he gave to the police in the begining sound off to me. Maybe if he sits in jail for awhile he will talk. I suspect she never left the home. I can't imagine arguing with my dh over life insurance unless he was trying to force me to get more insurance on myself with him being the only beneficery.

[annalyzer]

http://sxmislandtime.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3649:frank-cordes-get-8-day-stay-of-detention&catid=31:general&Itemid=76

http://sxmislandtime.com/images/stories/102008/sxm1.jpg


Frank Cordes get 8 day stay of detention

Saturday, 25 October 2008 01:21

PHILIPSBURG - It was a day of high profile hearings in the court of first instance on St. Maarten Friday. Among the high profile hearings was the case of the missing Leta Lynn Cordes.

On Tuesday October 14th, her Husband Frank Cordes was arrested on the suspicion that he had something to do with the disappearance of his wife.

The 49 year old Leta Lynn Cordes has been missing since Friday the 11th of January 2008.

According to her husband Frank Cordes, who happened to be the last person to see her alive stated that she had walked to the Westin hotel in order to gamble.

That was the last time that anyone has heard or seen the now missing Leta Lynn Cordes.

According to prosecutor Taco Stein, the arrest of Frank Cordes at this time is based newly discovered circumstances that have heightened the suspicion that he had something to do with her disappearance.

Leta Lynn Cordes is now presumed to be deceased. The prosecution has been granted a 8 day stay of the detention of Frank Cordes in order to give the prosecution the necessary time to conclude their investigation.

The reported turbulent relationship between the two, have not made the case easier for Frank Cordes.


http://sxmislandtime.com/images/stories/102008/sxm2.jpg

[annalyzer]

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6337133433570047249

<embed id="VideoPlayback" src="http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?docid=6337133433570047249&hl=en&fs=true

[annalyzer]

http://letacordes.com/

http://letacordes.com/leta_cordes.jpg

The Search for Leta Cordes continues

As we near the one year anniversary of Leta Cordes disappearance, The Friends of Leta Cordes would like to thank all of the Officials of Sint Maarten, US Homicide Detectives, the Dutch Police Force, French Authorities, the FBI and all of the local citizens of Sint Maarten that continue to offer their support, resources and assistance in the on-going search for Leta.

Dutch Authorities continue to hold Leta Cordes’ husband Frank Cordes behind bars in connection to her disappearance, however they may not be able to hold him in pretrial detention much longer.

Sadly, it appears that Frank Cordes may be involved in his wife’s disappearance. Although the Dutch Authorities seemingly have substantial evidence against Mr. Cordes indicating his possible involvement, the case may not be strong enough to ensure a conviction at this time. Regardless the investigation continues. Collectively, the friends of Leta Cordes alongside Dutch Law Enforcement will continue their search for Leta.

more at link

[annalyzer]

http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20221741,00.html

August 18, 2008 Vol. 70 No. 7 Mystery in St. Maarten: Missing in ParadiseBy Bill Hewitt
Frank and Leta Cordes Built Their Dream Home in St. Maarten. Now Leta Has Vanished and Frank Answers Some Tough QuestionsFrank Cordes doesn't seem like a man with a lot to hide. Answering the door to his upscale townhouse in Mission Viejo, Calif., he is stripped to the waist and shows off a chiseled physique and sunny smile. But after a few pleasantries, he gets down to a troubling subject—the disappearance of his wife, Leta, 49, who vanished without a trace from the island of St. Maarten in January. Seven months later Frank, 43, the owner of a prosperous medical animation business, is eager to dispel the nasty cloud of suspicion that has settled over him. "I understand that it's statistically probable that I had something to do with it," he says in his matter-of-fact way. "When someone disappears, who is suspected? The husband. But I did not kill her, I did not have anything to do with her disappearance. I am a victim here, too."

At this point, authorities on St. Maarten are not even sure that a crime has been committed. There is not any evidence that Leta is dead, either by accident or foul play. According to Frank, the couple, along with his mother, who had just arrived for a visit, had driven to their vacation home on St. Maarten on Jan. 11 after an evening of drinks with friends. He says that Leta, a frequent gambler, wanted to go to the Westin casino a half mile away. He didn't, so she left on foot around 11 p.m. Worried that she might have fallen on the rough road, he says that he soon went looking for her. When he didn't see her, he assumed she had made it to the casino, and he went to bed. After a fruitless search early the next morning, he reported her missing. For now, police on St. Maarten have neither cleared Cordes nor named him as a suspect. "I think there is probably a lot more to the story than Frank has told us," says a police source familiar with the case. "That's not to say that he killed her but that there are some pieces to the puzzle that we don't know, and that Frank could probably tell us."

One of the puzzles all along has been Cordes's behavior. Friends of Leta's say he took a keen interest in the case of Natalee Holloway, who disappeared on Aruba. (Cordes says he was "aware" of the Holloway story, but "didn't think anything more about it than anyone else.") Frank and Leta met in California more than 20 years ago, when he was a German immigrant and she was a single mom who was going to college, working as a waitress and singing in a rock band. By all accounts, the first years of their marriage were happy, and they started their successful animation business.

Then a series of tragedies hit Leta. Two of her brothers died of drug overdoses and her mother developed Alzheimer's. She had started to drink heavily and gamble frequently. She also went on antidepressants. Cordes says that last year Leta had an affair, and that he had one in retaliation. Friends say the couple talked about divorce from time to time but didn't seem serious about it. Karen Laurence, who with husband Joe was drinking with the Cordeses on the night in question, says all seemed well with the couple. "They seemed very much in love," she says.

So what could have happened to her? Though St. Maarten is considered quite safe, the stretch of road from the Cordes home to the Westin is dark and deserted and has been the scene of several robberies of tourists in the past year. Frank argues that circumstances don't point to his involvement. "Would I kill my wife on the very day that my mother came to town?" he asks. "That rules out premeditating it, and if it were an accidental death, how would I be able to cover my tracks so well? It doesn't make sense."

Leta's son Rory Bryant says that he "has chosen to stand behind" his stepfather. But friends and family are privately troubled by Cordes's stoicism—a problem that Cordes himself acknowledges. "I don't show emotion a lot," he admits. He underscores that a moment later when talking about the possibility that his wife may not be alive. "I hope she's okay," he says, "but I know the reality of the situation."


More From This ArticleThe Reward
Leta's friends have offered $75,000 for information on her whereabouts. Frank Cordes has added another $25,000.

[sarahhod]

Leta search Day 2
turns up nothing

~ Frank talks to reporters ~
COCONUT GROVE--Searchers canvassed secluded ponds at Le Galion Beach and in Coconut Grove on Tuesday in day two of the renewed hunt for missing American woman Leta Lynn Cordes, but found nothing after several hours of looking.
Cordes’ closest friends insist the search will continue at least until the end of the week, but with Dutch and French police replacing officers of private security firms.
Frank Cordes spoke to reporters in a Dawn Beach estate later that day, for the first time since his release from pre-trial detention last month, talking about his rocky relationship with his wife Leta, life in prison, and the investigation that had led to his detention in October.
Checkmate and Sheriff Security companies volunteered manpower, vehicles and trained dogs for the two-day search effort to find the missing woman, whose disappearance in January last year has drawn international media attention.
Elaine Karas, a friend of Cordes for 35 years, said she, another friend Cary Honstein, and their families would continue the search with assistance from U.S.-trained search experts and at least two dogs until Friday. We haven’t given up hope, Karas told reporters.
At least three other women’s and girls’ bodies were dumped in the Dawn Beach/Oyster Pond/Coconut Grove areas and found decomposing in recent years.
Searchers following tips and leads combed Le Galion Beach and surrounding ponds Monday, ending almost nine hours of searching with two possible gravesites that they later found were false positives.
“We thought it was time to move on,” said Karas Tuesday about two possible burial places that cadaver dogs had sniffed out the day before. The searchers found nothing after digging the next morning from dawn.
Karas, who has plunged several thousand dollars into the search for her long-time friend since last year, said they still hoped to find some trace of Cordes to give her a “proper burial.” She said the island authorities had done their best in trying to find Cordes. “We’re satisfied with (the investigation),” she said.
Leta Lynn Cordes, a 49-year-old California woman, went missing 13 months ago after leaving the Dawn Beach home she shared with her husband Frank Cordes, and authorities have searched for her since. Local authorities, with help from the U.S., searched areas in Dawn Beach and Oyster Pond in the days following her January 11 disappearance. They found nothing.
The main suspect, Frank Cordes, was arrested mid-October and held at the Pointe Blanche House of Detention for close to four months as investigators worked to connect him to his wife’s disappearance. After no fewer than six court appearances and 108 days behind bars, Cordes was a free man again, given a full release for lack of evidence to hold him.

Frank speaks
It was about midday on Tuesday, February 17. Hip-hop music played off speakers connected to a MacBook laptop as Frank Cordes welcomed reporters into his Dawn Beach home, offering water and sodas to the four media representatives and then sitting down for his first interview since local authorities released him from detention.
About 45 minutes later, Cordes had talked about investigators apparently prolonging his detention on a whim, lashed out at Today newspaper’s coverage in the early weeks of the disappearance, and complained that authorities had not done enough, in his opinion.
Cordes’ only stipulation to reporters was that they not record or film him having the conversation. The Germany-born animator told local media reps that the 13 months since Leta went missing had left him desensitised to the investigation. “It’s just a case. … The more that time goes on, the more bizarre it (the case) gets,” he responded to questions about his feelings about the work being done to locate his wife.
While Cordes readily acknowledged the turmoil in his two-decade marriage, he maintained his innocence, telling reporters the local authorities, Leta’s friends and Today newspaper (which he called Today magazine) were looking for any excuse to paint him the killer.
Searches of Cordes’ home and vehicle several months after Leta’s disappearance turned up nothing but ketchup and transmission fluid, according to him. Independent searches have also turned up nothing.
Frank Cordes insisted he would have joined Karas and Honstein’s search, but “I was not invited,” likening his participation in the search efforts to attending a party uninvited. “If you’re in school, and a group of girls are having a party, do you crash it?”
Dressed in jeans and a buttoned-down shirt he had put on after reporters knocked on his door looking for an interview, Cordes maintained that ties with Leta’s friends had dissolved last year following a debacle involving the reward money, and had never recovered.
However, the family’s relationships are solid, Cordes said, slipping in and out of his German accent.
The couple’s marriage was on the rocks for a long time before Leta vanished. Leta was a drinker and a partier who had often gone gambling until late in the morning, he said. He said it would not have been unlike her to vanish on her own. “You would have to know Leta,” Cordes said.
Cordes willingly revealed the evidence authorities had found that had led to his detention: a slip of paper with scratched out dates detailing the night’s event, conversation excerpts from a four-month wiretap and some chemical residue in the back of a rental car he had once used.
A June 2008 burglary forced Cordes, already removed from island life by mounting allegations, to remove a window leading to his condo overlooking Oyster Pond.
Cordes holds a grudge against the “overzealous” attitudes of local prosecutors, saying they had been quicker to find reasons to keep him detained than they had been to disprove theories against his having killed his wife.
He is upset that investigators took almost eight months to question his mother, who only speaks German, the only other person in the Cordes home the night Leta vanished. Friends and neighbours reportedly corroborated his story.
He asserts to being US $100,000 in debt and needing to fly to California, where his animation studio is located, for longer stints to recoup the losses in the past few months.
Archery is a pastime for Cordes now. He escorted reporters out past a bundle of arrows piled on top of each other and two scope-mounted bows. He readied one of the bows, placed a practice tip on one arrow, and noted that since the battery was dead he had little control over its path. Aiming and letting the arrow fly at a target several feet away, Cordes told reporters, “(Archery) relaxes me.”


http://www.thedailyherald.com/news/daily/l232/cordes232.html

[sarahhod]

Search for Leta turns up
two hotspots at Le Galion

LE GALION--A search team looking for missing American woman Leta Lynn Cordes Monday found two possible gravesites near Coconut Grove Monday after scouring Le Galion Beach twice.
Cadaver dogs from St. Maarten and the U.S. sniffed out two hotspots that Cordes’ closest friends think may contain the woman’s remains, just before 6:00pm in their second search Monday. But searchers were pulled back after about nine hours of the renewed hunt for Cordes, a 49-year-old woman who vanished after leaving her Dawn Beach home more than 13 months ago.
Cordes’ closest friends, seeking closure, have fronted “a small fortune” for the search and hope to find the woman’s body for “a proper burial.” The search resumes today, Tuesday, at dawn, but search teams want to keep the exact location to themselves.
Guided by “tips and leads,” Cordes’ friends Elaine Karas and Cary Honstein, along with security officers, U.S.-trained search experts and four trained cadaver dogs, descended on Le Galion at 6:00am, searching along the west end of the beach, taking to the ponds in a boat and trekking the land by foot.
A team of searchers, including security guards and concerned friends, poked into the sand with wooden sticks. Karas said the team hoped to find Cordes.
“We’re looking for our friend … through tips and leads. … We think she’s buried here,” Karas told reporters before the search resumed around 3:00pm. “We’re looking for remains. … We’re praying we can give her a proper burial.”
US television networks CBS and NBC were also on site filming the search operation.
Asked about progress with the case, Karas said she believed the police had substantial information, but they didn’t have a body. “It’s circumstantial. So rather than go to court and risk losing based on circumstantial evidence, we’re here to try to find her remains. Because if we find her and there is evidence with the body, then we’re done. We want to bring her home and give her a peaceful burial.”
The main suspect in Cordes’ January 11, 2008, disappearance, her husband Frank, was in custody for just over three months until authorities released him for lack of evidence. Frank Cordes was arrested nine months after his wife went missing, following an investigation by federal detectives in the Cordes home.
Frank Cordes has told authorities that Leta was drunk when she left home that Friday night to go the casino at The Westin St. Maarten Dawn Beach Resort and Spa. Residents in the area reportedly remember them having a loud argument.
Dutch-side authorities hoped the search teams would recover evidence that could help solidify the case they are making against Cordes, who has been out of reach in recent weeks. “We hope they will find something and I’m sure they will be willing to share that,” said Windward Islands Chief Prosecutor Taco Stein about the search.
A search expert commended Dutch and French authorities for their willingness to work with the international investigators. “It behoves everybody to cooperate with each other,” said the expert, who liaised with local and U.S. authorities and asked not to be named.
The expert said that based on experience, Leta Cordes probably was buried “within three to five miles” of her home – if she had been killed. “The remains have never dissipated. … The bones will never disappear,” he added.
Dog handlers noted that the cadaver dogs only had a few hours in the morning and afternoon to work before heat interfered with their abilities. One of the dogs used in the search was brought over from Germany three months ago and belongs to Sheriff Security, while Checkmate Security owns at least one other. “When they’re with us on the searches, they can trigger something we wouldn’t notice,” Karas said.
Asked about Frank Cordes’ absence from the scene, Honstein said, “It’s his choice. … He knows we’re on the island.”
Karas was grateful for the help from local security firms and authorities to assist in finding Cordes. “It will be a two-day search because of the generosity of Checkmate and Sheriff. They have donated a lot of time and money. We didn’t want to keep them out any longer than necessary. They have been incredibly helpful. They are paying their teams for both days’ work. Checkmate has 10 members and Sheriff 20 members.
“We’ve had more help than we could ever dream of.”

http://www.thedailyherald.com/news/daily/l231/cordesl231.html (http://www.thedailyherald.com/)

[sarahhod]

RST interested in
Cordes interview

PHILIPSBURG--Detectives of the Kingdom Detective Cooperation Team RST are interested in getting their hands on audio recordings made during an interview with U.S. citizen Frank Cordes at his Dawn Beach home earlier this week, The Daily Herald understands.
Cordes, who was in custody until recently as a suspect in his wife Leta’s disappearance, spoke to reporters on Tuesday for the first time since his release, coinciding with the second day of a renewed search for the missing American woman.
This newspaper understands that RST has requested recordings used in recent Arts Video Studio (AVS) News broadcasts during which Cordes talks at length about his relationship with Leta and his reasons for not joining the search, and defends his innocence.
Cordes mentioned several things to reporters, including his time spent in prison and the events leading up to and immediately following his wife’s January 11, 2008, disappearance. U.S. television networks CBS and NBC are also interested in the tape for specials about the Cordes search on which they’re working.
Leta Cordes’ closest friend Elaine Karas said her search team was waiting on Wednesday for directions from French and Dutch police to continue its investigations, after two days of searching in and around Le Galion Beach and Coconut Grove turned up nothing positive.


http://www.thedailyherald.com/news/daily/l233/rstl233.html

http://www.thedailyherald.com/images/spcr.gif

[sarahhod]

Was It Murder In Paradise?

Friends Search For 49-Year-Old California Woman Who Vanished On Caribbean Island Of St. Maarten


NEW YORK, March 12, 2009

http://wwwimage.cbsnews.com/images/2009/03/12/image4861862g.jpg
Leta Cordes (CBS/The Early Show)


Missing In Paradise


(CBS) A California woman vanished from a Caribbean island over a year ago.

Her husband was arrested then released.

So why is he still the prime suspect?

Early Show co-anchor Julie Chen tells the story of the missing Leta Cordes (http://letacordes.com/) and talks to her closest friends, Cary Honstein and Elaine Karas, who are spearheading an effort to find out what happened to their dearest friend.

It seemed to be the perfect life: traveling the world with her husband, a home in paradise.

So what really happened to 49-year-old Leta Cordes?

Cordes went missing on the Caribbean island of St. Maarten in January 2008. St. Maarten authorities and friends suspect her husband of 20 years, Frank Cordes, is responsible for her disappearance.

In recent years, Leta spent her vacations with friends and family at her second home on St. Maarten.

"Leta absolutely loved it here," Karas said.

Her friends are spearheading the search for Cordes on St. Maarten.

"In the whole 20 years, there was never a violent phase with me and Leta," Frank Cordes, a computer animator, said.

He says he last saw his wife as she left one night for the casino at the nearby Westin Hotel.

But her friends don't buy that story.

"She just didn't, you know, go up in space and disappear. So we know that … the inevitable has happened. She's no longer with us. It's just been too long," Honstein said.

"We miss her, and we want to know where she is and what happened to her. And we're going to get to the bottom of it. There's no doubt about it. We have a very good idea of what happened that evening, but we need to find her," said Karas.

As for Frank Cordes, he was arrested in October. But after nearly three months, island authorities released him without charges.

"We felt we didn't have enough evidence for a conviction. Yes, he's the only suspect. There's no indication whatsoever that someone else is involved," said prosecutor Taco Stein.

"We're in it for the long haul. We're hoping it's sooner than later. But we're willing to wait if it's later," Honstein said.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/03/12/earlyshow/main4861523.shtml

[sarahhod]

Leta's husband has been released without charge so could we change the title please mods??

[annalyzer]

Leta's husband has been released without charge so could we change the title please mods??

Could change to "husband suspect".

[sarahhod]

Could change to "husband suspect".

Yes your right anna, he is still a suspect, just not enough evidence YET.
Hopefully they will find Leta soon.:innocent0001:

[packy]

http://letacordes.com/

Friends of Leta Cordes would like to send their continued thanks and gratitude to the Officials of St. Maarten for their on going support and diligence in the search for Leta Cordes.

There is yet another sad chapter to the tragedy of Leta Cordes disappearance.

Modena McLendon, Leta Cordes Mother passed away this past Friday March 6th, 2009 due to complications of Alzheimer’s Disease.

Leta was one of her mothers primary caretakers when she disappeared. Shortly after Leta Cordes disappearance Mrs. McLendon was placed in a California run hospital.

My condolences and prayers for Let's family upon the death of her mom.

[annalyzer]

On Dateline now

[Faith]

New search set for missing US woman in St Maarten

2009-06-25 09:59 AM

Investigators are preparing to launch an extensive underwater search for an American woman who vanished more than 17 months ago in this Dutch Caribbean territory.

The public prosecutor's office announced Wednesday night that a comprehensive search of the sea floor off St. Maarten would be undertaken soon to try to locate the "possible bodily remains" of Leta Lynn Cordes of Mission Viejo, California.

Previous searches along St. Maarten's coast have not turned up any trace of the missing woman, who had bought a second home here shortly before she disappeared the night of Jan. 11, 2008. She was 49 when she went missing.

The prosecutor's office said police decided to conduct a fresh search after obtaining "new information." It did not give any details of the information, citing the continuing investigation.

In coming days, local investigators, supported by Dutch, French and U.S. police officers, will dive and use sonar equipment to search for her remains off St. Maarten, which shares a tiny island with the French territory of St. Martin.

"Most of these officers are highly trained divers, specialized in tracing and recovering bodily remains," the prosecutor's office said. It did not say when the search would start.

The missing woman's husband, Frank Cordes, told police his wife didn't return after heading to the Westin St. Maarten Dawn Beach Resort & Spa to gamble in the casino following a night of drinking. The hotel says security cameras show she never went inside.

Nearly 10 months after her disappearance, St. Maarten authorities arrested Cordes on suspicion of involvement in his wife's disappearance. He was detained nearly three months, but was released early this year for lack of evidence.

U.S. network television shows, including "Dateline NBC," have devoted segments to the mystery of her disappearance. Friends of the missing woman have collected donations and created a Web site hoping to find her.

___

On the Net:

http://letacordes.com

http://www.etaiwannews.com/etn/news_content.php?id=986114&lang=eng_news

[Faith]

Caribbean news briefs
Associated Press
2009-06-25 10:27 AM

ST MAARTEN: Investigators will search seafloor off territory for missing California woman

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten (AP) _ Investigators are preparing to launch an extensive underwater search for an American woman who vanished more than 17 months ago in this Dutch Caribbean territory.

The public prosecutor's office announced Wednesday night that a comprehensive search of the sea floor off St. Maarten would be undertaken soon to try to locate the "possible bodily remains" of Leta Lynn Cordes of Mission Viejo, California.

Previous searches along St. Maarten's coast have not turned up any trace of the missing woman, who had bought a second home here shortly before she disappeared the night of Jan. 11, 2008. She was 49 when she went missing.

The prosecutor's office said police decided to conduct a fresh search after obtaining "new information." It did not give any details of the information, citing the continuing investigation.

In coming days, local investigators, supported by Dutch, French and U.S. police officers, will dive and use sonar equipment to search for her remains off St. Maarten, which shares a tiny island with the French territory of St. Martin.

"Most of these officers are highly trained divers, specialized in tracing and recovering bodily remains," the prosecutor's office said. It did not say when the search would start.

The missing woman's husband, Frank Cordes, told police his wife didn't return after heading to the Westin St. Maarten Dawn Beach Resort & Spa to gamble in the casino following a night of drinking. The hotel says security cameras show she never went inside.

Nearly 10 months after her disappearance, St. Maarten authorities arrested Cordes on suspicion of involvement in his wife's disappearance. He was detained nearly three months, but was released early this year for lack of evidence.

JAMAICA: Gov't sells 2 debt-ridden sugar estates after failed deal with Brazilian company

KINGSTON, Jamaica (AP) _ Jamaica sold two debt-ridden sugar estates for $2 million and continues to seek buyers for three, the agriculture minister said Wednesday.

Christopher Tufton said two Jamaican companies paid $500,000 for the St. Thomas Sugar Co. The new owners will invest nearly $3 million in the property, he said.

Another local company, Everglades Farms, paid $1.5 million for the Trelawny Co. and will spend more than four times that amount to expand and modernize it, he said.

While the factories are being sold, Jamaica will lease the sugar cane lands for 50 years, Tufton said. Under the agreement, at least 60 percent of those lands will be dedicated to sugar cane cultivation for a minimum of 15 years.

The state-run Sugar Company of Jamaica lost $283 million since the government bought the factories in 1998. It announced in 2004 that it planned to sell off the company after years of accumulating debt.

A deal to sell the plantations to Infinity Bio-Energy of Brazil for $39 million fell through after Infinity missed two payment deadlines.

More than 13,000 former sugar workers have received a portion of a $30.4 million severance package partially financed by the European Union.

Other Caribbean nations, such as St. Kitts and Nevis and Trinidad and Tobago, have shut down centuries-old sugar industries.

BAHAMAS: Cops interview British singing idol Robbie Williams after paparazzi robbed of cameras

NASSAU, Bahamas (AP) _ Police in the Bahamas are investigating the robbery of two paparazzi a few hours after they snapped shots of British pop idol Robbie Williams lounging on an exclusive beach in Exuma and argued with his entourage.

Superintendent Ellsworth Moss, who heads the detective unit of the Royal Bahamas Police Force, said Wednesday that investigators had questioned Williams about the early Sunday robbery of the two celebrity photographers who traveled to Staniel Cay to sneak photos of the vacationing singer.

Moss stressed that Williams was not a suspect.

"We don't think he was the one who actually committed the robbery, but it may have been a spinoff or may have been triggered by what reportedly happened with his party on the beach," he said.

A phone call to Williams' representative in London was not answered.

The paparazzi _ Matt Sanchez of Splash News & Picture Agency and freelancer Carlos Mendez _ told police they got into a shouting match with Williams' entourage while they photographed the star with zoom lenses. Hours later, they alleged, four armed men broke into their rented room and stole $20,000 worth of cameras and other equipment.

Assistant Commissioner of Police Raymond Gibson said two men were in custody in connection with the case. He did not disclose further details, saying the investigation was continuing.

Williams has long been a singing star in Britain and is popular in other countries. But he hasn't generated much appeal in the United States, receiving more publicity for entering rehab for dependency on prescription drug than for his music.

PUERTO RICO: Drivers could face $100 fine for using hand-held cell phones

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) _ Puerto Rico may soon join a handful of U.S. states in banning hand-held cell phones for drivers.

The House passed a bill to impose a $100 fine on drivers who talk on their phones without a headset or other handsfree device.

A government study found that 74 percent of drivers in the U.S. Caribbean territory use their phones while driving.

The proposal, passed by the House on Monday, still must clear the Senate and governor.

If approved, it will take effect one year after the governor signs it.

PUERTO RICO: Island tackles status issue, disagrees whether to include voters in debate

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) _ A decades-old quest to define Puerto Rico's status once and for all has been renewed.

A group of legislators are debating whether the U.S. Caribbean territory should issue a plebiscite. Voters would choose between keeping the commonwealth status adopted in 1952 or opt for something different.

A second plebiscite would let them decide whether they want statehood, independence or independence with a loose association.

Debate on the proposal introduced by Resident Commissioner Pedro Pierluisi began Wednesday.

Puerto Ricans voted to maintain the island's current status and rejected statehood in nonbinding referendums in 1967, 1993 and 1998. They are barred from voting in presidential elections and their Congressional delegate cannot vote.

BOXING: Super bantamweight champ Lopez headlines intriguing card in Atlantic City

NEW YORK (AP) _ Juan Manuel Lopez watched countryman Miguel Cotto fill Madison Square Garden on the eve of the city's Puerto Rican Day parade and marveled at how thousands of people gravitated toward the welterweight champion.

The young super bantamweight champ imagines himself in the same role one day.

"I know I'm getting to the level I can headline," said Lopez, who will defend his minor WBO title against little-known Olivier Lontchi of Canada on Saturday in Atlantic City. "But I do look forward to a year, two years down the line, being the headline on that night.

"That's the dream. That's every Puerto Rican's dream."

Lopez won his title in Atlantic City last year by knocking out Daniel Ponce De Leon in the first round, ending his three-year title reign.

He's been busy ever since.

The hard-hitting Lopez (25-0, 23 KOs) has already defended his title three times, all by knockout, and aced arguably the most difficult test of his burgeoning career in April, when he dismantled Gerry Penalosa on the way to a 10th-round stoppage. It was the 13th straight fight Lopez has ended early.

"At 122 (pounds, 55 kilograms)," promoter Bob Arum said, "he's beginning to run out of opponents."

Few believe that Lontchi (18-0-2, 8 KOs) stands much of a chance, so Arum has already requested the theater at Madison Square Garden for Sept. 26, when he hopes Lopez and exciting Cuban knockout artist Yuriorkis Gamboa will be on the same card in separate fights.

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