Engineer Charged With Murder Of 20-Year Old Stewardess Aboard Superyacht In Bahamas

A 20-year-old South African woman named Paige Bell was found dead in the engine room of a luxury superyacht docked off Harbour Island in the Bahamas on July 3. Police have arrested a 39-year-old Mexican national who reportedly worked as an engineer on board, in connection with her murder.

According to the Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF), Bell was found with visible injuries and was unresponsive when officers arrived. She was declared dead on the yacht by a local doctor.

Her body was found partially undressed, with slash wounds on her neck and injuries on her arms, which authorities believe suggest she tried to fight off her attacker.

The suspect, identified as Brigido Muñoz, was found beside Bell with severe injuries to his arms. Police believe he attempted to take his own life. He was treated at a medical clinic before being taken into custody.

Muñoz was formally charged with murder on July 9 in Magistrate Court in Nassau and was denied bail. His next court appearance is scheduled for November 20.

Bell and Muñoz were working on the superyacht Far From It, a £9.5 million vessel that offers charters at nearly $140,000 per week. The yacht was docked at an exclusive marina near Harbour Island, a high-end tourist destination about 60 miles east of Nassau.

The area is well-known for attracting celebrities and wealthy tourists, including figures like Bill Gates, Prince Harry, Tom Cruise, and Harrison Ford.

Bell, who was from Johannesburg, South Africa, had built a career in the yachting industry and was known by colleagues as a hardworking and kind young woman. She had previously worked on another yacht called Sweet Emocean, where crewmates described her as family.

One of her former colleagues said her positivity, kindness, and energy made a lasting impact on everyone she met. Another shared that she inspired others and dreamed of becoming a manager within the yacht crew industry.

Bell’s family confirmed her death in a statement and called it a brutal loss. Her parents, Michelle and John Bell, traveled to the Bahamas to begin the process of bringing their daughter’s body home and to seek justice. Her sister, Chelsey Jacobs, said the family was facing an unimaginable journey and referred to the suspect as “the monster that took her life.”

A fundraiser was launched by Bell’s former colleagues to help the family with legal fees, travel costs, and funeral arrangements. The GoFundMe campaign has raised over $42,000. The page also mentioned that Paige would have turned 21 on July 14. In her memory, her mother asked friends and supporters to eat red Paige’s favorite velvet cake and share a photo in her honor.

Crew members who found her body said she was missing earlier that day. After checking all six cabins on the yacht, they went to the engine room where they found her next to Muñoz. Per reports, he was covered in blood and holding a knife. His wrists were slashed.

The murder has deeply shocked the close-knit yachting community and the ultra-luxury vacation island known as “billionaires’ backyard.”

References: foxnews, nypost

Source: Maritime Shipping News