Was Brian Tarrence Murdered? Probe Launched After Body Found During Search for Missing NYC Tourist During Turks and Caicos Trip with Wife

International Business Times

06-07-2025

Police on a Caribbean island have launched a murder investigation after finding a decomposed body believed to be that of a Manhattan man who vanished while on a romantic trip with his wife.
The Turks and Caicos Islands Police said on Facebook Sunday that the grim discovery was made on Saturday — less than two weeks after New Yorker Brian Tarrence vanished from a nearby Airbnb — is now being treated as a "suspected homicide." Authorities have not yet officially identified the body. This came after investigators found "the body of a deceased male in a state of decomposition," Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force said, according to a CBS report.
Murder Investigation Launched
"Efforts are underway to confirm the identity of the deceased," police said online. "Once an identification has been made, the next of kin will be notified in accordance with standard procedures."
Tarrence, 51, of Midtown Manhattan, traveled to the Turks and Caicos Islands on June 22 for a romantic vacation with his wife of one year before mysteriously disappearing.
The couple was staying at an Airbnb in Grace Bay and had planned to return to New York on June 29, according to News 12 Westchester. On Saturday, the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force and a private investigator made the grim discovery during an hours-long search for Tarrence.
"We the police extend condolences to the family and friends of the deceased and ask that the public not speculate and await positive identification of the deceased," acting Commissioner Rodney Adams said.
Only three days into their vacation, Tarrence left the rental property while his wife was asleep — and has not been seen since. "Everything prior to the point where he walked out of that house, he seems fine," private investigator Carl DeFazio told the local outlet.
"The worst thing is not knowing," he added. "Every day that goes by is not good."
The couple arrived on June 22 at the iconic Grace Bay Beach on the northeast coast of Providenciales — a renowned destination known for its clear turquoise waters, soft white sand, and high-end resorts.
On June 25, just three days into their stay, Tarrence and his wife spent the afternoon enjoying a boat outing before going out for dinner. But later that night, his wife woke up to find he was no longer in their rental home.
Death Shrouded in Mystery
After being reported, the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police reviewed nearby surveillance footage, which showed Tarrence — dressed in a T-shirt, shorts, and sneakers — walking toward the busy downtown area around 3:30 a.m.
"That's little bizarre in itself," investigator DeFazio told News 12, questioning why Tarrence would leave the rental at that hour. "He's in the middle of town. His wife was sleeping."
DeFazio added that the area where Tarrence vanished is generally considered "very safe," and confirmed that he had both his cellphone and wallet with him when he left.
Tarrence's family hired private investigator DeFazio to investigate the sudden disappearance, as it has now been almost a week since he went missing. "So far, we haven't been successful in anything, but we're not giving up hope," DeFazio said.
DeFazio, a former NYPD officer and Marine, has been trying to access records of the 51-year-old's phone usage while he was in the islands.
Tarrence's wife has decided to stay back in Turks and Caicos for the time being, staying hopeful that he will be found.