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Orlando Moore, 43, and Portia Ravenelle, 52, were scheduled to return to their Mount Vernon home on March 27, following a four-day vacation in the town of Samana. However, the couple never made it to the airport after checking out of a Dominican Republic hotel, prompting concern from friends and family.
The pair left Newark Liberty International Airport at approximately midnight on March 23, leaving a car at the airport. The two posted pictures of their vacation on social media during their trip, but all communication then ceased. A police report was filed for the missing couple on March 29.
On Wednesday, April 10, the Dominican Republic Embassy confirmed that both Moore and Ravenelle had died due to a car accident that took place several days ago near the airport in Santo Domingo.
According to the Dominican authorities, Ravenelle managed to escape the car as their rented vehicle went under water. She was taken to a nearby hospital by first responders, but was unconscious at the time, unable to speak and never recovered from the crash.
Officials said that because Ravenelle did not have any documentation on her, they were unable to identify her until this week. She died four days after being brought to the hospital.
Moore’s body was found a few days later, still at sea. The car remains underwater, and the cause of the fatal crash remains under investigation.
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