Authorities in Turks and Caicos have discovered a decomposed body as they continue searching for Brian Tarrence, the 51-year-old New York man who vanished during an anniversary trip with his wife.
The Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police confirmed Saturday that they had located “the body of a deceased male in a decomposed state” near Grace Bay. Officials have not yet confirmed whether the remains belong to Tarrence, who was last seen on June 25.
Tarrence, a Manhattan resident and vice president at Diligent Software, had arrived on the Caribbean island just days earlier to celebrate his first wedding anniversary. Security footage shows him leaving his Airbnb at Paradise Inn in Grace Bay around 3:30 a.m. on the day he disappeared. He was reportedly carrying his phone and wallet at the time.
His wife, who remains on the island, has hired private investigator Carl DeFazio—a former NYPD officer and Marine—to help with the search. DeFazio said they’ve been trying to trace Tarrence’s phone records to reconstruct his movements but so far have found no concrete leads.
“We haven’t given up hope,” DeFazio told Fox News.
The case has drawn additional concern due to rising crime in Turks and Caicos. The U.S. State Department issued a travel advisory in March following a dramatic surge in violent incidents—robberies rose by 143% and gun-related crimes jumped 123% in 2024, according to InSight Crime.
Despite the circumstances, police have said there is no evidence of foul play in Tarrence’s disappearance. An investigation is ongoing, and authorities have yet to formally identify the body.
