In the late afternoon of March 3, 2008, Elizabeth Calvert, a 45-year-old attorney, and her husband, John Calvert, were seen on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. This would be the last time anyone reported seeing the successful and well-liked couple. The Calverts divided their time between a home in Atlanta, Georgia, and their yacht, the 'Yellow Jacket,' which was docked at the Harbour Town marina on Hilton Head.
Elizabeth was a partner at a law firm in Savannah, Georgia, and John was a local businessman with several enterprises on the island. They were known for their regular routines and close contact with family and friends, making their sudden silence deeply uncharacteristic. Concern grew when both Elizabeth and John missed scheduled business appointments the following day, March 4. Their cell phones and PDAs had been turned off, which was unusual for the couple who were always connected.
The initial investigation into their disappearance quickly focused on their financial dealings. It came to light that the Calverts had scheduled a meeting on the evening of March 3 with their accountant, Dennis Gerwing. The purpose of the meeting was to confront Gerwing about suspected embezzlement from their businesses. This meeting was the last known appointment the Calverts had. In the days that followed their disappearance, investigators found one of the couple's cars, a silver Mercedes, abandoned in the parking lot of a resort six miles from where their yacht was docked. A search of the marina and surrounding waters by a dive team yielded no clues. Their small airplane was also found untouched at the local airport. Back on their yacht, their cat was discovered, but their dog had been placed in a kennel in Atlanta before they vanished.
Suspicion quickly fell upon Dennis Gerwing, who was the last known person to have seen the couple. When questioned by police, Gerwing's account of his meeting with the Calverts contained inconsistencies. Investigators also discovered that shortly before the meeting, Gerwing had purchased several large, heavy-duty drop cloths, an unusual purchase for a man who did not engage in manual labor. He also had a cut on his hand that was consistent with the 'slide bite' from a semi-automatic pistol. As law enforcement officials began to close in, executing search warrants on his home and office, Gerwing took his own life on March 11, 2008. He left behind suicide notes in which he admitted to embezzling money from the Calverts and other clients, but he neither confirmed nor denied any involvement in their disappearance. An audit later revealed he had stolen millions. A holster for a. 22 caliber Beretta pistol was found in his home, but the weapon itself was never recovered. Despite extensive searches and ongoing investigations over the years, the bodies of Elizabeth and John Calvert have never been found. In November 2009, they were legally declared deceased. The prevailing theory among investigators is that Gerwing killed the couple after being confronted about the embezzlement, though the case officially remains an unsolved mystery.Last Seen: Mar 3, 2008
