What Happened To Amy Bradley? Netflix Reopens The Chilling Cruise Ship Case

Forbes

18 hours ago

"Amy Bradley Is Missing" is now streaming on Netflix.
The disappearance of Amy Bradley has captivated the true crime world for decades and is now the subject of Netflix's new docuseries, Amy Bradley Is Missing. From reported sightings of the missing woman to theories of sex trafficking and murder, many questions still remain unanswered.
Netflix's Amy Bradley Is Missing dives into the theories surrounding what could have happened to Bradley, who was 23 years old when she vanished during a Caribbean cruise with her family 27 years ago. The documentary features exclusive interviews and newly surfaced evidence to shed light on a case that has long puzzled investigators.
Keep reading to learn more about what could have happened to Bradley, including the numerous theories surrounding her disappearance and whether authorities have ever been able to locate her, despite people coming forward with sightings and anonymous tips that could point to something more sinister.
What Happened To Amy Bradley?
"Amy Bradley Is Missing" is now streaming on Netflix.
In March 1998, Amy Bradley went on a Royal Caribbean International cruise with her family. She had just graduated and was preparing to pursue a master's degree in sports psychology. Before heading out on the seven-day cruise, she had also adopted a dog and moved into a new apartment, according to the docuseries.
On March 23, 1998, Bradley was partying at the Rhapsody of the Seas nightclub with her brother Brad. Later, she and her siblings returned to the family suite. Amy's father, Ron, recalled seeing his daughter sleeping on the cabin's balcony.
However, about half an hour later, Bradley was gone — and her shoes were the only things left behind. The crew conducted a 'Charlie drill' at 9 a.m., cruise director Kirk Detweiler recalled in the series, as they searched every inch of the massive 10-deck, 1,000-foot-long ship.
After about an hour, the captain told the family that Amy was not on the ship. While Curaçao officials said that they expected Amy's body to turn up in the sea, it never did. 'It was the biggest search that we ever had,' Curaçao Coast Guard's Henry Vrutaal said in the show. 'But she was nowhere to be found. Not even a piece of clothing, nothing.'
What Theories Could Explain Amy Bradley's Mysterious Disappearance?
"Amy Bradley Is Missing" is now streaming on Netflix.
Many theories have circulated about what happened to Bradley, ranging from falling overboard to being murdered or left behind at one of the stops. Some believe she walked off the ship to start a new life, while others, like her family, think she was taken against her will. According to Tudum, the balcony, which was the last place Bradley was seen, was scrubbed clean before investigators could search for evidence.
One of the most prominent theories is that Amy jumped or fell overboard. Netherlands Antilles Coast Guard Lt. Sjoerd Soethout told reporters at the time that she could have fallen from the balcony, while an FBI spokeswoman said the agency had 'no evidence of foul play,' according to The Associated Press. The cruise director who worked on the ship also supported this theory in the doc; however, a body has never been recovered.
Another theory is that Alister 'Yellow' Douglas, an entertainer on the Rhapsody of the Seas during the Bradleys' trip, was somehow involved. Lori Thompson, who is interviewed in the docuseries, said she saw Amy and Douglas together earlier that night. There is also video footage of them dancing together.
FBI agents investigated the allegations and questioned Douglas, but his polygraph test results were inconclusive. Douglas continues to maintain his innocence, and there is no evidence connecting him to Amy's disappearance. However, his daughter, Amica Douglas, appears in the docuseries and says she is not convinced her father had no involvement.
She pointed to her father's concerning behavior after he returned from the cruise ship Amy was on. Not only did he and her mother grow more distant, but Amica claimed that her dad had a bag of photos of white women, per Time.com.
In the docuseries, Amica actually calls her father to confront him about the allegations. 'I didn't do anything wrong. What am I supposed to do?' he said in a defensive tone, adding that all he did was dance with Amy. When asked if he was walking with Amy on a Curaçao beach, he answered no.
Filmmaker Ari Mark told Fox News Digital that Amica was initially hesitant to go on camera at first, but change her mind after realizing 'that this tragedy had impacted her family in a way that feels almost irreparable.'
He continued, 'She has been harassed, and her family name has been thrown all around the internet. She wants to get to the bottom of this as much as anyone else. And she has real empathy for the Bradley family.'
Was Amy Bradley Ever Found?
"Amy Bradley Is Missing" is now streaming on Netflix.
While Amy Bradley has never been officially found, multiple people have come forward over the years claiming to have seen her following her disappearance.
Retired U.S. Navy seaman Bill Hefner said in the Netflix docuseries that he might have encountered Amy 10 months after she went missing, at a bar after his ship docked in Curaçao in January 1999. She allegedly said her name was Amy Bradley, that she had left the ship to get drugs and that she was being held against her will.
David Carmichael recalled walking along a beach in Curaçao when he saw a woman with a tattoo of the Tasmanian devil walking towards him. He said it looked like she was about to say something to him, but then she kept walking alongside two men. Carmichael said that he believes one of the men was Douglas, the ship's band member.
In 2005, Judy Maurer said she was in a restroom in Barbados when she overheard a group of men ambushing a woman and telling her that a deal was imminent and that she needed to be on time. When Maurer came out of the stall, she asked the distraught woman her name, and the woman replied, 'Amy.'
That same year, an anonymous tipster sent the Bradley family a link to a website featuring sex workers for hire. An FBI forensic analysis determined that one of the women closely resembled Amy. She had long hair, wore heavy makeup and was posed in a way that concealed any identifying tattoos.
"Just imagine getting a photo like that of your kid," Mark told Fox News Digital. "I know that it devastated the Bradley family, but at the same time, it offered a little glimmer of possibility that Amy's alive. I think there is that bittersweet reaction there.
The Bradleys filed two lawsuits against Royal Caribbean in 1999, while the cruise line maintained that it had acted appropriately and responsibly at all times. The lawsuits were dismissed in 2000, and Amy still hasn't been located. Her family, who believe she was a victim of sex trafficking, hasn't given up hope that she might return one day.
'It's one thing to talk about the void of Amy, and it's another thing to experience it,' Mark told Tudum. 'This is a family who really deeply believes in what they're saying, and what they're saying is, 'She's out there, we're going to find her, and we're ready.'"
If you have any information about Amy Bradley's disappearance, please contact your local FBI office or the nearest American embassy or consulate.
Amy Bradley Is Missing is streaming on Netflix. Watch the official trailer below.