Elizabeth "Liz" Waddell, 44, has been missing since July 22 after entering the water near Grand Anse Beach in Grenada. Police say no final conclusion has been reached and continue to treat the case as an active missing-person investigation. Surveillance footage shows her walking to a jetty at 11:36 a.m., removing a towel and entering the water at 11:51 a.m.; she was not seen returning. Authorities and the family urge witnesses to come forward; a GoFundMe has been launched to support search efforts.
No Final Conclusion Yet in Disappearance of American Mom Liz Waddell During Grenada Vacation
Liz Waddell.Credit: Go Fund Me
Elizabeth "Liz" Waddell, a 44-year-old physical therapist from Cary, North Carolina, has been missing since July 22 after being seen entering the water near Grand Anse Beach in Grenada. Authorities say they have not reached "any final conclusion" about what happened and continue to treat the case as an active missing-person investigation.
Timeline and Last Known Movements
Police released a detailed timeline at a press briefing on July 28. Surveillance footage shows Waddell walking toward a jetty near her rental at about 11:36 a.m., removing a towel roughly 10 minutes later, and entering the water at 11:51 a.m. Some footage captured her swimming beneath the jetty about 13 minutes after she entered the water, but she was not seen returning.
Liz Wadell.Credit: LizWaddellDPT/Facebook
Companion, Witnesses and Early Response
Waddell had been traveling with a female companion; that person appears on camera walking toward the water at 12:46 p.m. and then returning alone. The companion later found Waddell's towel on the jetty and, after being unable to reach her by phone for several hours, contacted Waddell's husband. A missing persons report was filed at 5:50 p.m. that day, prompting immediate searches of the shoreline and resort grounds.
Search Efforts and Family Response
Local authorities led the search, and multiple agencies — including U.S. partners who provided background assistance — joined efforts in the following days. Waddell's husband, Cailen, flew to Grenada on July 24 to help coordinate searches and review available footage. He wrote on a search-dedicated website that the video appears to show Liz no more than about 20 feet from shore in roughly 5 feet of water and described the route as relatively easy, with places to rest.
Grand Anse Bay in Grenada.Credit: Getty
"It is our hope that Elizabeth will be found and found alive and well," Commissioner of Police Randy Connaught said, urging anyone with information to come forward.
Ongoing Investigation and Appeals
Authorities continue to seek additional surveillance video and eyewitness accounts to clarify Waddell's movements after noon on July 22. They are also following up on a reported later sighting of someone on jet skis farther out from shore; Waddell's husband said that sighting seemed unlikely to be her but police are contacting the witnesses to verify details.
Description and How to Help
Police described Liz Waddell as approximately 5 feet 5 inches tall, of medium build, with short blonde hair. Anyone with information is asked to contact local emergency services or the Royal Grenada Police Force. A GoFundMe campaign has been launched to support continued search efforts.
The investigation remains active and authorities ask the public to share any relevant footage or tips that could help locate Waddell and provide closure to her family and friends.
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