A Texas man who went missing over ten years ago from a yoga retreat in the Bahamas is now being connected to a recent disappearance from the same retreat. Wesley Bell, who was 29 years old at the time, was last seen at the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat on Paradise Island, Nassau, on January 25, 2013. This retreat is also where Taylor Casey, 42, went missing last month.
According to Jonathan Goldbloom, a spokesperson for the retreat, Wesley Bell was declared dead by drowning after an extensive search by Bahamian police. Despite the long passage of time, there has been no indication of foul play in Bell’s case, though authorities have not provided detailed comments. The Royal Bahamas Police Force and the U.S. Embassy in the Bahamas have not responded to inquiries about Bell’s case.
Bell’s father, Don Bell, expressed his belief that his son drowned and that the authorities were unable to locate him. Wesley Bell’s mother, Marie Bell, was unaware of Taylor Casey’s disappearance from the same retreat. Both parents have referred media inquiries to the Royal Bahamas Police Force and the U.S. Embassy.
The Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat has gained recognition from various sources, including The New York Times, Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop, and HuffPost, as a top travel destination. The retreat received a TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence annually from 2012 to 2019. However, Goop has since removed its review following news of Casey’s disappearance.
Danniel Ward-Packard, who was at the retreat when Wesley Bell went missing, remembered him as a cheerful person. Ward-Packard said Bell went snorkeling alone and never returned. His personal items were found on the beach the following day. Despite this, she believes Bell’s death was an accident and cautions against linking his case to Casey’s disappearance, calling it a coincidence rather than a conspiracy.
The Bahamas has a high rate of unintentional drownings compared to the Americas, according to the Pan American Health Organization. In 2019, there were 6.4 unintentional drownings per 100,000 people in the Bahamas, compared to 1.8 in the broader region.
Taylor Casey, who is Black and transgender, vanished on June 19 while attending a yoga instructor program at the same retreat. Her disappearance drew national attention. Although her phone was found in the ocean, authorities have not been able to access it. Casey’s friends and family participated in the search and found her personal belongings in her tent but did not locate her passport.
Casey’s family and friends have criticized both the police and the retreat staff for their handling of the investigation. They were informed that no one had previously gone missing from the retreat, which contradicted the information they later discovered about Wesley Bell. Collette Seymore, Casey’s mother, has declined to speculate about Bell’s case and is focused on her daughter’s disappearance.
Also Read:
- North Texans Gather to Remember 88-Year-Old Woman Missing Two Weeks
- Libertyville Raid: How Marshals Rescued a 15-Year-Old Girl
The Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat has defended its actions, stating that the police believe Taylor Casey left the retreat voluntarily. Bahamian officials have urged against prejudging the investigation and making untrue comments about the case.
