UAE | Crime
Search for Kerry gets extra hands
Dubai: More than 4,000 volunteers are scouring the streets and desert roads for missing Kerry Winter.
- By Emmanuelle Landais, Staff Reporter
- Published: 23:15 September 2, 2008
Dubai: More than 4,000 volunteers are scouring the streets and desert roads for missing Kerry Winter.
The search is in support of her brother and nephew, who have flown into the UAE to find the woman, who was reportedly beaten and dumped in the desert nearly two weeks ago.
Kurt Winter and David Giles, Kerry's brother and nephew, have been unrelenting in carrying out their own search for their relative.
For the second day running, Kurt and David faced the suspect, Kerry's British ex-boyfriend, currently being held at Bur Dubai police station who could be behind Kerry's attack at her Al Barsha home on August 20.
According to David, the suspect is showing little regret for his suspected actions and has still been unable to lead police to Kerry. A South African Embassy representative accompanied the family to the police station.
"We spoke to him for about 15 minutes. He seems very relaxed and calm in his conversation but it is easy to rile him up. It's like he's pretending to be sorry and remorseful, but when you look in his eyes, there's nothing there," said Giles.
"The pressure is mounting but we are still carrying on our own search. We've been driving around all over the place. Two groups of volunteers are helping us. With about 4,000 people helping us, it is just a matter of time," he said.
The suspect has not been able to tell Kurt and David where Kerry is. "He is still telling us the same story that when he left her she was fine and that he left her in the Arabian Ranches. The police have more information which they haven't told us and the investigation is under way," Giles told Gulf News.
Kerry's colleagues at International Conferences and Exhibitions, where she was recruited in the last two months, said the last few days have been a trying experience. Hesham Wyne, marketing manager and friend said Kerry was a smart, vivacious person. "We are a close knit firm and we knew what was going on behind the scenes. We knew there was something going on with this man," he said. "It's very surprising and depressing."
Kerry was reportedly beaten with a baseball bat outside her home and driven off in her own car by the suspect who was recognised by witnesses as Kerry's ex-boyfriend.
Allegations
According to Kerry's sister-in-law Lia Winter, the man had been harassing Kerry since their breakup.
"Kerry was constantly calling me, stating that the suspect was stalking her outside her villa or her work. He constantly sent her threatening SMSs and was extremely abusive," she said.
When Kerry did not call her South African home base for her grandmother's 80th birthday, alarm bells stared ringing.
"The week of her disappearance was when we spoke less because we were in the process of organising a trip to Durban for Kerry's grandmother's 80th birthday. She was still hoping to get a flight in time to be there," said Lia.
"We were all amazed when she didn't phone her grandmother to wish her as she phoned her every birthday or Christmas. She never called the following day either to find out how the party went," she said.
"Kerry's mother is devastated. This news is not good for her health either as she had a quadruple bypass surgery and is on heart medication. Everyday that dawns is another hopeful experience for the whole family as long as we don't find a body, we will continue to believe that Kerry is alive," she said.
Kerry was constantly calling me, stating that the suspect was stalking her outside her villa or her work. He constantly sent her threatening SMSs and was extremely abusive."
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