Alleged Cruiser Murderer Arrested

Don Winner of the Panamanian news site Panama-Guide.com is reporting that Spanish citizen Javier Martín, 42, is being held in Panama City on suspicion of murdering two singlehanded sailors: American Don North of the Morgan 385 Windancer and Frenchman Jean Pierre Bouhard of the 50-ft aluminum catamaran Levante. North and his schipperke Kuna have been missing since January 10, after he allegedly hired Martín to help take Windancer to Colombia. Bouhard’s body was discovered on February 4 in the waters off Portobello with a gunshot wound to the head.

Martín apparently ran a business transporting backpackers from Panama to Colombia — a service Bouhard also offered — before his 44-ft Beneteau Oceanis Twyla was wrecked in San Blas. Levante has been recovered and investigators reportedly discovered blood as well as Don North’s passport. Windancer has also been reported as recovered, but there’s no word on what evidence, if any, has been found. When Martín was taken into custody two days ago in Santa Fe, Darien, officials say he was in possession of three guns — a .38, a 12-gauge shotgun and a Glock 9 mm — ammo, $14,000 cash, and North’s credit card.