Boyfriend of missing Brit Sarm Heslop speaks out in open letter, denies guilt

Ryan Bane, 49, the boyfriend of missing British yachtswoman Sarm Heslop, has published a five-page open letter denying any role in Heslop’s disappearance and defending his actions after she vanished from their yacht off St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands in March 2021. The letter arrives as a BBC documentary spotlights the case and releases CCTV footage showing the couple together about six hours before Heslop was last seen.

The footage, shot on March 7, 2021, shows Heslop and Bane strolling hand-in-hand along a dockside before boarding a dinghy and returning to the catamaran Siren Song. It was the last sighting of Heslop alive.

Bane says he was awakened by the yacht’s anchor alarm at about 2 a.m. and found Heslop missing. He called local police at 2:30 a.m., but did not contact the U.S. Coast Guard for about nine hours. In the letter, he argues that hiring a lawyer, refusing questions, and blocking a forensic search of the yacht were prudent and lawful steps to protect his rights rather than signs of guilt.

He also criticized what he called gaps in the official investigation, including the timing of the 911 call and the absence of an initial police report, which he says created holes in the official record and fueled speculation. He did not disclose material gathered by a private investigator he hired, saying it could help but choosing not to release it publicly.

Records show Bane was convicted of misdemeanour domestic violence against his ex-wife, Cori Stevenson, in 2011 and served 60 days in jail. Stevenson, who divorced him in 2014, has said that attempts to obtain protection orders were denied. Bane acknowledged the conviction but said he did not harm Heslop.

Stevenson told The Times that his focus is on clearing his name, not finding Sarm, and described years of abuse. She said she is now older and much smarter and urged accountability for what she says happened in the past.

Bane has criticized police for branding him a person of interest, saying the phrase has no legal weight and can create a misleading narrative.

Sarm Heslop’s mother, Brenda Street, has pressed for greater scrutiny, including a forensic search of Bane’s yacht and formal questioning of him. Street has urged help from U.S. President Donald Trump, telling The Mirror that Trump could push for a properly conducted investigation.

The BBC documentary Missing in Paradise: Searching for Sarm defended its reporting, saying it was rigorously researched and produced in line with editorial standards. The case remains unresolved and authorities have not announced formal charges against Bane as investigators pursue new lines of inquiry.