BREAKING NEWS February 10th 2013: A set of human remains was discovered this evening on Vaughn's Island, a nature preserve located approximately two miles from Zachary Wells' Kennebunkport residence and only one mile from the Bush Compound on Walker's Point. The body has been transported to Maine's medical examiner for autopsy and identification. Further updates to this report, if any, will be posted here again. Original story is below, with additional coverage found in the comment section.
Zachary Wells and Prescott Wright are missing
Citing rough seas, bad weather and a lack of clues, police and rescue divers from the wintery state of Maine have officially called off the search for two university students who vanished into thin air on the 20th of December.
Yet that doesn't put an end to the mystery still surrounding this baffling disappearance.
Wells, 21 and a native of Vermont, and Wright, 23 from Massachusetts, are both graduate students at the Landing School for boat design in Arundel, Maine. They were last seen drinking beer together right around the witching hour during a small house-party hosted at Wells' home in neighboring Kennebunkport.
Where the pair of experienced boatsmen went after that nobody seems to know, but when one of Wells' roommates woke at 4AM to go downstairs and turn off a blaring stereo, he says nobody was there.
Kennebunkport is not only home to the accredited post-secondary yachting school that Wells and Wright attend, but has also been a favorite vacationing destination of the Bush family who own a sizable piece of property in that small coastal community.
Referred to generally as "the compound," the Bush's Kennebunkport mansion is situated on Walker's Point and has been in the family for over a century. The historic and stately residence is only about three miles from Wells' and Wright's last known location and is primarily used during the summer months, but heavily guarded year-round by Secret Service agents.
Even the air space over the Bush compound has been formally declared 'prohibited' by the U.S. government.
Referred to generally as "the compound," the Bush's Kennebunkport mansion is situated on Walker's Point and has been in the family for over a century. The historic and stately residence is only about three miles from Wells' and Wright's last known location and is primarily used during the summer months, but heavily guarded year-round by Secret Service agents.
Even the air space over the Bush compound has been formally declared 'prohibited' by the U.S. government.
Landing School administrators, friends and family all assert that neither missing young man had a history of unexplained absences or wandering off even for a day without telling anyone.
Moreover, each left behind a cell phone and a wallet, and were anticipating traveling soon to their respective states in order to spend the Christmas holidays with family.
Only one of the men owns a vehicle--that too remained parked in Wells' driveway.
Investigators say there was no evidence of any disturbance at Wells' Kennebunkport home and the intensive weeklong search in water and on land for the missing men only produced their clothes and two life vests, but "no signs of foul play."
These items were discovered strewn on a small, nearby island which is accessible from shore by foot during low tides, but otherwise cut off except by watercraft.
Police theorize the two may have kayaked there and gotten stranded, but all boating vehicles in the immediate area appear to be accounted for, and none have been reported stolen after the fact.
Officials also say that while they were utilizing sophisticated sonar to scan the sea bottom in the vicinity of where Wells and Wright were last known to be, they received two distinct blips on the radar. However, when divers specifically checked in those locations they reportedly found nothing of interest.
So...what's your theory then?
1. Did Wells and Wright muck out onto temporarily exposed sandbars in a drunken stupor, then accidentally fall in when wading back and drown trying to save each other?
2. Had the hapless twosome inadvertently trespassed onto forbidden land in their early morning meanderings and met up with some dire consequences?
3. Were they abducted for a soon-to-be-announced ransom and their clothing placed on the desolate island as a distraction by the perpetrators?
4. Did one friend slay the other in an inebriated fit of anger and then go into hiding in hopes the matter blows over someday?
5. Have these clever guys elaborately staged a dual disappearance and death so to run away together and start a brand new life?
6. Or did the 'Smiley Face' killers deviate from their usual motif of only one victim per locale per night, in search of more challenging prey?
Looking forward to the answers. In the meantime, anyone who has any information whatsoever about this very strange missing persons case is asked to contact the Kennebunkport Police Department at 207-967-2454.
Wells is described as black-haired with hazel eyes, five-foot-eight and 150 pounds. Wright is brown-haired and blue-eyed, six-foot-four and 200 pounds. Both men are, evidently, naked.
Wells is described as black-haired with hazel eyes, five-foot-eight and 150 pounds. Wright is brown-haired and blue-eyed, six-foot-four and 200 pounds. Both men are, evidently, naked.
CURIOUSER & CURIOUSER...A double missing persons case that's stumped police, press and the public grows stranger by the minute:
ReplyDeleteAlthough 23-year-old Prescott Wright has technically been missing for only 10 days, his parents have written him off for dead already--they just ran the young man's obituary this weekend, calling him (in the past tense) a "lover of people" and "builder of boats."
Hailing from Barnstable Massachusetts, the Wrights have been 'unavailable for comment' ever since their son and his friend vanished on December 20th, and their current actions seem consistently odd too, as anyone who tracks missing people can attest.
In fact, those who specifically follow these water-related disappearances involving young males know well that a family never gives up searching for their missing relative and refuse to admit he has likely drowned until his body is finally recovered.
Even then, many survivors are inclined to disbelieve the death was just an 'accident' and pursue an independent investigation into it for years.
So, do the Wrights know something then which no one else is privy to? And, if so, why aren't they sharing that valuable information? After all, there's more than one victim involved in this incident, and his parents apparently haven't abandoned hope of finding him yet.
This stuff frightens me the most, far more than guns.
ReplyDelete@ "This stuff frightens me the most, far more than guns."
ReplyDeleteAgreed. And it does make it appear as if the Wrights are trying to brush this incident under the rug, so to speak. But why? I can't find that answer...yet.
The Wrights' (weird) haste in this matter does the Wells family an injustice, however, as it overshadows that young man's case considerably which I believe his loved ones still view as a missings persons.
I did put in some inquiries over the weekend as to whether Prescott Wright, 23, is related to Alexis Wright, 29, of the Kennebunk Prostitution Scandal that's still being investigated there, and which involves over 150 prominent johns from this same area. (One of whom has been referred to only as a "cattle rancher". LOL)
Both Wrights resided in Kennebunk within the same timeframe, a small town only a few short miles from the port proper (Kennebunkport) and the location from where Prescott Wright and Zachary Wells both disappeared.
By the way, while Alexis Wright operated her "Zumba" dance studio/*brothel* in the heart of affluent Kennebunk, she maintained her primary residence in nearby Wells.
Ms. Wright was also a licensed private investigator, not incidentally, so, in light of that rather intriguing tidbit of info, the sex ring she ran with another licensed private eye smacks of a major sting op.
Both individuals have pled not guilty to the 100+ charges filed against them in Maine. All the johns' names have not been released, though, despite promises, because some of these fellas have turned themselves in through a roundabout process and then claimed "victim" status, bypassing the normal disclosure of arrests we see in all 50 states of the US...
More on this later--don't touch that dial!
E.R.
Thanks. This is too juicy for words.
ReplyDeleteTHIS JUST IN: the family of Zachary James Wells, 21, missing from Kennebunkport Maine since December 20th now believe he was swept out to sea and is dead. As the Wright family did in December, the Wells too have posted an obituary this morning, January 3rd, 2013:
ReplyDelete"We lost our beautiful son, brother, nephew, grandson and friend Zach in the early hours of Dec. 20, 2012, to the pristine waters off the coast of Maine. Zach was born on March 14, 1991, in Burlington, to Stephanie and James Wells. From the moment of his birth, Zachary made his presence known. He was a force to be reckoned with, a bright light whose laughter and love were extinguished all too early. The gigantic space that Zach filled is now a void left to be furnished by the multitude of memories held by those who knew and loved him. Zach cultivated relationships and his many friends were of great importance to him. He loved an adventure and cherished the memories of the varied expeditions, road trips, and outings he shared with a variety of friends, all while eagerly awaiting and planning the next big trip. In the limited years he was with us, Zach accomplished much. A 2009 graduate of Champlain Valley Union High School, he flew a plane at 16, went skydiving at 18, and sailed on a tall ship to ports around the world. He drove solo across the country, checking in with his friends scattered along the way. He was fortunate to visit several different countries around the globe by land and by sea, and had an insatiable desire to learn about other cultures and connect with people from all walks of life. Zach's creative eye captured images from his travels and we are lucky to have a collection of his photographs that bear witness to his experiences. He became a certified scuba diver and looked forward to continuing his need to explore in a new venue. In his early years, he was a swimmer, biker, soccer and lacrosse player, but his enduring sport was snowboarding. While he had wanderlust, he was always happy to come home to family and the hills of Vermont. Zach faced a significant medical issue at the age of 16, and despite the inevitable fear, Zachary demonstrated courage, strength and grace while managing the problem. The extent of love shown to Zach during this time forever changed him and brought clarity to what is important. Perhaps because of his health trials, Zach showed remarkable compassion and no hesitancy toward helping those who struggled. Whatever the need, Zach seemed happiest when he could lend a hand. Zach's passion for the water recently brought him to The Landing School in Maine, where he was very happy to continue to expand his knowledge of all things maritime. His hope was to continue his exploration on the water around the world....Above all else, Zach was about unconditional love. He taught it, accepted it, offered it, and we ask that you keep him alive in your hearts.
"A celebration of Zach's life will be held at the Charlotte Congregational Church at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 5, 2013. A reception will immediately follow at the Old Lantern in Charlotte. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to a fund which is being established in Zach's name. Contributions may be made to the Zachary James Wells Fund, c/o Jeffrey Small, CPA, 72 Pine St., Burlington, VT 05401."
Not buying one word of the official story.
ReplyDeletesomething is going on.
@ Anonymous January 7 "Not buying one word of the official story. something is going on."
ReplyDeleteSuspicious, isn't it? I don't think there's a state in the union--or any country, for that matter--where one can declare someone 'dead' who's only been missing two weeks.
This bizarre disappearance and the families' equally bizarre handling of it is worthy of our continued attention, IMHO.
E.R.
Who announces their kid basically has being deceased by posting an obit before they know anything? I would understand in 10 years but in not even a month? I am the mother of 4 kids, one of my kids disappear and I am telling you right now my husband would have to almost kill me to even post an obit in 10 years time. I would never be able to give up the thought that my child would walk in the door one day especially if there was no evidence of anything, no body, some clothes , seems a little odd to me. I try not to judge, but this is seriously messed up. I could even understand if the person was gone for a year over not even a month.
ReplyDeletemaybe they tried to get 2 the same night but Austin Scott got away. Ever try getting a hold of him? He was with luke Homan the night he disappeared. maybe Austin made up a story because tyey put pressure on him and he was just trying to tell them what they wanted to hear and then charged him when they found out the story was BS.
ReplyDelete@ Tennessee: Austin Scott has had other run-ins with the law over "public intoxication" in the years that have passed since his involvement with the Homan drowning.
ReplyDeleteI agree his story (or stories as it were) was a bunch of BS, but suspect the main thing he was covering up was the fact that he'd practically spoonfed alcohol to the obviously less experienced drinker Luke Homan in the hours before the young man died.
There are some who get their jollies doing cruel stuff like that, and who then always act *shocked* when the action leads to death. Which it sometimes can.
He may also be afraid to recite the actual event he and Homan experienced just prior to the victim entering the watering (dead or half alive). They may not have been alone at the levee.
Lots of Mississippi River deaths...it's enormous, and unforgiving.
E.R.
Found a body.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.capecodonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130211/NEWS11/130219957
Hi! I know Prescott and just want to let you know how crappy all of this is. I suppose I can put myself into the shoes of someone thinking about something like this happening and it seeming unusual etc. etc. but I would take this opportunity to realize that every time that you hear a story like this, there is information that you don't have and accusing a family of being cold hearted or weird or of giving up on their son is not something you should do lightly.
ReplyDeleteThese are people's lives and death and not entertainment. Maybe sometimes turn off your heads and turn on your hearts and have a little bit of compassion. And then also turn your heads back on: when you find someone's clothes on an island that is surrounded by water at high tide, you know they must have been in the water. And if you know anything about the ocean in Maine in December, you know that you maybe could survive for ten minutes. Facing that reality is horrifying but it is reality, it's not giving up on your kid prematurely.
I know human curiosity will always provide fuel for a site like this: I only ask that you remember that these are people and families and that this is pain. Be gentle, because spoiler alert: when you also die one day, your contribution to insensitive speculation around disappeared sons, brothers, daughters, fathers, mothers and grandchildren won't have added much to the world. But compassion just might.
Prescott was a friend of mine. He had a troubled child hood, but to have his name disgraced on this website is absolutely disgusting. I don't know what happened that night, I'm sure some people do (up to a certain point), but I'm sad to say the disappearance of these two men maybe a mystery forever. However there is no mystery in the pain and suffering a family endures during this time. You cannot judge either families for the actions they took. The loss of a child, brother and friend. The unknown of what happened to him. The only power a family has at that point is to remember him for what you do know. I do know Prescott could light up a room with laughter, his charisma surely captivated many people, his sympathy for a hurting friend was equally that for a stranger. Prescott was lost at times, but a brilliant man as well. He loved nothing more than the open water and what adventures it brought him. It is almost poetic he died at sea, because that is where he felt whole.
ReplyDeletePlease take time an consider if this was to happen to you. Would you want people to write about you in this way? What if it was your mother, father, sibling or friend?
Shame on you for speaking of someone you don't know this way. I for one know Prescott wouldn't have done the same to you.
- Robyn