Lewis Bennett, 41, a dual citizen of Australia and the United Kingdom, is behind bars on a second-degree murder charge in the death of his wife, Isabella Hellman, a naturalized U.S. citizen, during a voyage in international waters. The FBI arrested Bennett in Miami on February 20, 2018, following a federal criminal complaint alleging he intentionally sank their catamaran and left Hellman to die.
The case unfolded after the U.S. Coast Guard received an emergency alert on May 15, 2017, roughly 26 nautical miles from Cay Sal Bank, Bahamas. Bennett claimed he had been asleep below deck while Hellman stood watch when a crash jolted him awake. He said he surfaced to find her gone and the vessel taking on water, forcing him to abandon ship into a life raft. But evidence tells a far darker story.
Coast Guard helicopter crews rescued Bennett from the life raft, but Hellman was never found. Footage of the overturned 40-foot catamaran revealed nearly identical damage on the inside of both hulls. Two escape hatches were left open—unnatural in an accidental sinking. Investigators say the damage was consistent with deliberate scuttling, not a collision or storm impact.
An associate professor of naval architecture reviewed the evidence and concluded the vessel did not sink by accident. His report, cited in the complaint, states the damage originated from within—indicating someone intentionally compromised the hull. Investigators believe Bennett orchestrated the sinking to ensure Hellman’s death while positioning himself for rescue.
Federal authorities also uncovered Bennett’s decision to delay activating his satellite phone and Personal Locator Beacon until arriving in Cuba in mid-May 2017—after sailing from St. Maarten to Puerto Rico and on to Cuba. Standard maritime safety protocol demands these life-saving devices be active during such treacherous open-water passages. Bennett allegedly withheld activation until the final leg, ensuring only his own survival.
“The arrest of Mr. Bennett is the result of the vigorous investigation by prosecutors in this office and our federal law enforcement partners,” said U.S. Attorney Benjamin G. Greenberg. “Together, we were able to uncover the truth about what occurred aboard the catamaran, resulting in a tragic death.” The FBI and U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service continue to work closely on the case, underscoring their jurisdiction over violent crimes against Americans on the high seas.
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Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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