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A woman disappears after saying she’s going on a round-the-world sailing trip with her new boyfriend.
CASE DETAILS  Colleen planned to sail around the world When Colleen Wood moved from Dayton, Ohio, to Boca Raton, Florida, it was the culmination of a lifelong dream. Then Colleen met a former racecar driver and Wall Street investor named John Paul. After a whirlwind romance, Colleen vanished without a trace. She’s never been seen or heard from again. Her son, Michael Tandarich, recalls what his mother had told him about John Paul:
 John Paul and Colleen Wood Colleen and John fell madly in love. They were inseparable. They soon made plans to sail around the world on John’s 55-foot schooner the Island Girl. Colleen sold her condo and gave the profit to John to invest: $43,000. She moved in with him aboard the Island Girl, and then quit her job. Maureen Canada, owner of the Lighthouse Point Marina, was Colleen’s boss:
On December 3, 2000, Colleen placed a call to her son in Ohio. She told Mike that the Island Girl was setting sail in a few weeks and that she would be in touch soon. According to Maureen Canada, she spoke to Colleen about 10 days later to invite her to the office Christmas party:
According to Maureen, Colleen told her that she would definitely attend the party:
Colleen’s son also hadn’t heard from his mother:
 Colleen lived aboard John’s boat Michael immediately contacted the police in Florida, but there was no evidence of any crime. Days turned into weeks and then months. Still, there was no sign of Colleen Wood. Michael Tandarich tried to track down possible sightings of the Island Girl:
 Who took $40,000 from Colleen’s account? Michael searched the internet hoping to find an address or maybe a phone number for John Paul. What he discovered frightened him:
Michael learned that Colleen’s boyfriend was the mastermind behind a drug smuggling ring in the early 80s, and that he had tried to kill his partners in crime. Colleen met John Paul less than a year after he was paroled. Colleen’s family and friends were certain she knew nothing about John Paul’s past. Asked about her disappearance, John would eventually give three different accounts of his relationship with Colleen, which he says ended on the rocks. Colleen’s son, Michael, was able to track down John Paul’s daughter. She told Michael that her father said that Colleen had become upset over an incident involving one of John Paul’s old girlfriends and that she had been the one to end the relationship. The news only further fueled Michael’s fears:
Three days later, John Paul called Michael with a second version of the story:
Four months after Colleen was last heard from, investigators from the Fort Lauderdale Police Department turned up some suspicious activity on her credit cards. According to Det. Mark Shotwell:
If it wasn’t Colleen withdrawing cash from the ATMs, who was? The police were still investigating and will only say it was a woman, perhaps more than one. Also raising suspicions were two ads that appeared in a local newspaper. According to Det. Shotwell, they were purchased with Colleen’s credit card:
Had the ads been placed by John Paul? Detectives weren’t sure. They only knew that the second ad began running on December 16, 2000, about the same time Maureen Canada spoke to Colleen by phone. According to Maureen, Colleen told her then that she was partying with John in Key West and that everything was fine. Police finally tracked down John Paul and according to Det. Shotwell, he said he had no idea where Colleen was and offered a third version of the breakup:
But the alleged inconsistencies weren’t all that troubled the Det. Shotwell:
Despite the allegations, suspicious behavior, and the inconsistent stories, there is no solid evidence to indicate Paul had anything to do with Colleen’s disappearance. In fact, John Paul may have no knowledge whatsoever about the mystery. According to Det. Shotwell, he has not been named a suspect in the case:
Meanwhile, Michael awaits word on what happened to his mother:
John Paul has apparently left town, violating the terms of his parole. Detectives would like to find him to question him again about the disappearance of Colleen Wood. If you have been in recent contact with John Paul, or knows his current location, please contact Det. Shotwell at 954-828-5517 or mshotwell@fortlauderdale.gov Watch this case now on Amazon Prime in season twelve with Robert Stack and in season two with Dennis Farina. Also available on YouTube with Dennis Farina. Various seasons available now on Hulu. SUBMIT A TIP[/su_button |
Colette
Let’s just hope this monster suffers a horrendous death. Those ladies deserved a good life, their families have been left with dreadful thoughts not happy memories. My thoughts are with you even after all these years. Good bless.
Ryan B.
The most likely scenario here is that John Paul killed her and dumped her body into the ocean.
Drazen
He said he is a Harvard graduate. How hard would it be for her to contact Harvard and check on him? She would have found out that he is a liar and maybe saved her life.
Johnnie
Would you really call a university to verify that a date of yours went actually went to the school they told you they did? I’ve never heard of anyone doing that and personally I’d be turned off if someone felt the need to research me to that level. Btw though, if you’d done a little research yourself you’d have seen many references online that say in fact he did go to harvard, had a scholarship actually, and he graduated. So no, it would have only confirmed to her that he could be trusted. In fact we don’t know that she didn’t look it up .. causing her to put aside any misgivings she was experiencing before that set sail date.
Lisa Gandolfo
Please check out our latest interview in person with Steve Carson who got shot 5 times by John Paul Sr on April 19, 1983 and he then turned State Witness to abduct Sr to return from Switzerland to be tried and found guilty of attempted murder in St John’s County, Florida. He was found guilty and faced 25 years in prison only to serve only half his sentence to return to South Florida to meet Colleen Wood and then she went missing.
https://youtu.be/jKZh0A7F9S8?si=fG3IFcl7_ei9pcIU
May
Gandolfo has posted eight times here: LisaGandolfo, Chalice Paul Missing Person, Lisa Gandolfo (NO PICTURE) Lisa Gandolfo (RED DRESS) LISA GANDOLDO (PICTURES OF DOG) Pete Gandolfo Chalice Paul (No Picture) Lisa Gandolfo (Picture of Chalice Paul.) Give me a break. Talk about a con artist.
Lisa Gandolfo
Is this a joke? You are calling me, Lisa Gandolfo the creator and owner of chalicepaul.com a con artist? She was the only person who came forward to investigate, campaign and research Chalice Paul’s disappearance. Is this the criminal sister, Catherine Christine Alford Murray? That is you isn’t it May? You are wanted in Alachua County, FL and Fayetteville NC for felony crimes you committed. Besides you lied about going to the authorities about your missing sister, Chalice Alford in 1981.
Lisa Gandolfo
We know for a fact that Chalice Paul’s criminal fugitive sister is the person sending out disparaging harassing letters through USPS trying to discredit me on my research and independent investigation on Chalice Paul who was also last seen with John Paul Sr. She lied to her family that she reported Chalice missing but did nothing. She is complicit to information and evidence she has withheld in her own words in writing and played psychological games on her family members and friends claiming she was still alive. There is a reward to find her to be extradited back to Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office. Please contact Crimestoppers and go to Chalice Paul- Missing Person to see her most current photo.
Lisa Gandolfo
Hey May, I know you are Catherine Christine Murray DOB 07/29/54 a fugitive of law. You sent me emails 28 years after Chalice Paul went missing saying she was still alive. Then started last year you start disparaging me & change your story about Chalice Paul claiming finally Chalice is missing? Turn yourself in and her diary you keep saying you have in your possession. All your fake accounts are well documented.
Maggie Moo
I know! What a psycho! Virtue signaling to the max. One of those people that combs through websleuths doling out unhelpful and weak “Eureka! I’ve found it!” evidence, that leads a path away from any total logical solution. All just to feel good about themselves and not the victim, to whom they typically purport to have a weird unique connection. Super super creepy.
Lisa Gandolfo
There is some interest again in producing a docuseries about both missing women, Chalice Paul and Colleen Wood who both were last seen with John Paul Sr. But did you know there were missing too who were involved with John Paul Sr?
Lisa Gandolfo
To the family of Colleen Wood, I built a podcast titled Chalice Paul Disappeared The True Story and have been trying to get Colleen’s story out through the eyes of her friends and family. Mike, her son, did not want to participate. But if anyone else would like to please contact me through the website link at chalicepaul.com
I see a person titled Anonymous referencing Colleen as her aunt, please reach out. Thank you.
Anonymous
I’d appreciate if people on here would quit leaving rude comments and placing the blame on my Aunt Colleen our family has suffered enough.
Mr. P
Your aunt played a stupid game so she won stupid prizes. No one with two live brain cells would have put themselves in such a situation. Barely even know someone and agree to go sailing around the world with that person? Yeah, not exactly bright in any sense of the word…
Chalice Paul
Mr P. Is that you John Paul? Or John Paul Jr? Because Michael Paul would not be so rude.
If Colleen Wood was so stupid to sail a way then how do you justify his former wife to do the same thing then go missing in 1981? Or Errol “ Butch” Thrower, David J Cassorla and Richard Barry Berlin who all went missing too and connected to John Lee Paul Sr, formerly known in His Dutch name as Johan Leendert Paul Not Johan Hans Paul?
Anonymous
Mr. P
You shouldn’t be calling anyone stupid. You need to keep your rude comments to yourself. You don’t know my aunt let alone anything that happened to her. So Mr. Keyboard warrior keep your nasty comments to yourself my family has suffered enough and don’t need your bs comments.
Sandy
Don’t pay any mind to those cruel comments. I am so sorry for your family. Your Aunt seems to have been a very sweet trusting woman that a sleezy evil convict decided to take advantage of. I’m sure she wasn’t the first or the last of his victims. Just remember he may escape man’s law but, he will not escape God’s law. Until then try to remember that. Hopefully worse will happen to him after your Aunts story gets out to the right person. There are vigilante people out there, what a piece of trash that Mr Paul is. He’ll get his. Prayers for your family, you & her sons. I’m so sorry this happened to her, he obviously murdered her. Let’s pray he gets the same fate!!!
Elizabeth
My God, some women are so stupid and naive that they will do anything stupid for a man! How could she sell her apartment, cancel her phone and lose all her background ?! After all, it would feel like I had ceased to exist. And to go out to sea in the company of a man I practically don’t know at all, then not at all! On the high seas, she was completely helpless in the moods and decisions of a man she did not know at all. Unfortunately, she paid for her naivete, even nonsense.
Lisa Gandolfo
Here is an update. John Paul Sr is believed to be still in a Thailand of back to his mother land the Netherlands. john Paul Jr is I believe still alive and living in Woodland Hulks, CA but has HD and lung cancer now.
Detective Mark Shotwell the detective handling this case is now retired and FLPD refuse to release the name of the new cold case detective’s name.
Please go on YouTube and put in Chalice Paul and ho to her channel to view both part one and two of The audio and video Crime in Sports podcast to get the facts of the past and background of the Paul’s.
Jason
Law-wise if there’s no evidence, there’s no crime. They have this dude on a paroll violation. Who knows if this dude’s still around? He lived the drug life his entire life.
If the police “searched” the boat, would they come up with anything? Without a body, there’s no proof of a murder.
So, obviously this guy’s highly suspect, but I just hope her family finds closure. God, whatta nightmare
Kim Nichols
Yms robinson is probably jaun-claud talkin bout she seen colleen last week smh
Lisa Gandolfo
Know the truth! Not someone else”s version of the truth who didn’t know Colleen Wood, John Paul Sr. and Chalice Paul. Go to this website to learn the truth! http://www.chalicepaul.com and also visit the Facebook page titled Chalice Paul- Missing Person.
Hector
The police in Boca Raton Florida must be very stupid. They had John Paul in their hands and did not do anything with him. they did not arrest him, did not charge him with second degree murder, and now that he disappeared, they want to talk to him. That is so stupid.
lisagandolfo
Here is an update on the missing women, Colleen Wood and Chalice Paul both last seen with John Paul Sr. Please listen to this podcast to explain the story. https://lnns.co/NCWIc-VY47i
Becky Weaver
People like this don’t deserve to breathe our air. Wish people investigated this guy before she sold her condo & handed this murderer the $40k. But she seemed determined to have this “adventure.” I don’t think sailing around the world is “romantic” – it’s hard work, and NOT fun unless u have $, a purpose, destinations planned with friends awaiting your arrival, and a home base. Like the son mentioned. The family tried but Colleen had her mind made up.
I knew his plans were evil, especially when hearing the part about him using her credit cards to advertise for another “romantic sailing partner” (WHILE they were still together,) on Dec 15, 2000. Then, thru Feb 2001, he paid people to use Coleen’s credit cards to withdraw cash. This proves he killed her early on, and had no plan to “sail around the world.” Now we find out he killed another woman too. He needs to spend the rest of his life in jail. I hope people see Disappeared wherever this guy is hanging out and turn him in. Weird. He made it to Thailand in 2009, and sold boat in 2011. Just wondering why his son would do 2 yrs in prison to avoid testifying against his dad. Apparently there was a lot of $ from the drug smuggling gig. dad must have shared with son. Son now has huntingtons disease. I bet dad never returns. Sad story.
We need to change the rules. (No body = no crime is RIDICULOUS.
Pete Gandolfo
My wife, Lisa has been diligently working on trying to get justice for both Colleen Wood and Chalice Paul. She had built a website at http://www.chalicepaul.com and there is now a comment page if anyone wants to read the history and links pages to make a comment. She recently did the video portion to a podcast called Crime in Sports Episode #37 about John Paul Sr. it is quite interesting as she was able to uncovered archived information on John Paul Sr. including his real name when he came to America as a kid. Please take the time to watch and listen to this audio/video as you will find it most titillating. God bless the missing and God bless these two women.
lee dan sullivan.
RIP, COLLEEN AND CHALICE.
lee dan sullivan.
poor colleen. she was conned big time. i wish she would have been more streetwise. to think he lured her out to sea, then killed her, then weighted her body down in the ocean. this case is so haunting.
Lisa Gandolfo
The website http://www.chalicepaul.com has been revamped with a forum page to make comments. Please check out the link page of all the Internet based links on John Paul Sr., Chalice Paul and Colleen Wood. If there is any new information about these women we will be adding it to the web site.
Karen
She was ridiculous to not look into this scam artist. And her boys and friends didn’t see any red flags? Good grief!
Lisa Gandolfo
Karen, you really blame the victim? And the family of the victim? What kind of person are you? A lot of people don’t have suspicious minds to do the due diligence you are accusing them of not doing. Don’t judge someone until you walk in their shoes!
Ash Paladium
Dumb police, just dumb. Doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know that he dumped her body in the ocean. He is a former buttslammer /inmate and knows that with no body the police have no proof. The perfect crime.The police know that he withdrew all her money. If that’s not admission of something then I don’t know what is. It’s probably what it usually is, lazy police work. This guy has probably ly done this many times but this is the first where the family actually followed up. This scumbag loser has probably killed many women. If I was her son I would find this parasite and “make” him talk. Wouldn’t be hard. Just rent a warehouse and show him the lovely interior, in 3-D. You will get your answers. The U.S. doesn’t allow their police to use force to get answers. Ridiculous.
Anonymous
What a creep, you know he did something to her ,
Trina
I had a dream this morning. And in part of it this woman was driving with a small dog in her lap. She was crying and looked to be upset about a romantic relationship. She turned off into a gas station convenience store and turned around and kept driving along side me. I began to pray for her. I turned left and she went straight. I woke up and about 30 seconds later I heard the name Colleen wood in my head. I Google the name and it shows that she is missing.
Indy
Interesting thing to point out here, 99% sure about this. There is a John Paul Jr. who was an Indycar driver. raced for a number of years and drove in the Indy 500.
He also went to prison for 5 years for being involved in selling drugs, got into the drug trade at the age of 15.
I think he dad was this John Paul Sr. featured in this story.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Paul_Jr._(racing_driver)
Dawn Herron
Watch Disappeared “Daddys Girl” that is his son https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQlLe4UZ6Os
Jordan
How awful this story is..
I can’t imagine the horror this kind woman must of endured just being so far out at sea with this psycho. I believe personally that he robbed her blind, bludgeoned her and threw her overboard . That would be my first guess, because the open ocean is so broad there is no way anyone would be able to find her remains or anything. That is just so terrible I hate that the nice woman with a family got caught up with the wrong man from hell. Someone needs to find his ass and just drop him off in the middle of the ocean and don’t look back,, let him experience the same terror that Colleen did.
Lisa Gandolfo
He most likely did the same thing to his former wife, Chalice Paul. He most likely put an anchor around them and tossed them overboard in deep waters so they can be “shark bait” just like the former lawyer, who is deceased now, Don Reuben told me when he investigated John Paul Sr. for being a possible bigamist after Chalice went missing. As John Paul Sr. married Hope Haywood Reuben Paul (his stepdaughter) just a year later after Chalice went missing. She is the sister of another legend Porsche race car driver, Hurley Haywood. Mr. Reuben told me over the phone, that he found out John Paul Sr. got a divorce from Haiti as you don’t need your spouse present to do so and after all Chalice was probably “shark bait.” Nice huh? A lawyer knew there was most likely fowl play but did nothing about it along with the rest of the Haywood’s
and lot’s of people in the racing circuit back then too.
]
Keith
Lisa, we are doing some investigation into this, we would like to hear some of the information you have.
Tiffany
Women need to be so cautious. I, too, believe this scam was all set in motion when he placed the ad. He needed her money so he convinced her to sell all of her worldly belongings. And convinced her that he would handle the money. No no ladies — do not let anyone talk you in to things that don’t feel right. My sincere sympathies go out to her family. The police are not stupid. I’m sure they did all they could do at the time within the law.
retired2
The allure to her was the money, you need to look up these scammers and see what they are all about! I’d rather be poor then murdered. She looked like a lovely lady RIP Coleen.
Retired1
Why these women need a man with $ is beyond me. He is guilty!!!RIP Coleen.
Gotzon
Los detectives unos negligentes. Le podían haber detenido por saltarse la libertad condicional en un primer momento por viajar por el mundo sin tener permiso para hacerlo. Y luego detenerle por robo de tarjeta de crédito , de sacar dinero de otra persona que estaba desaparecida y no era matrimonio . ni tenia derechos sobre el dinero de ella.
Ella bastante tonta para vender la casa y todo e irse con alguien desconocido.
La policia y los jueces si hubiera sido la desparecida una familiar de ellos seguro que habrían detenido a John Lee Paul. La justicia no es igual para todos.
Riverfairy
I totally agree that the police had enough circumstantial evidence with the debit/credit card scam. He was identified by the two women that actually used her cards. He gave them 10 percent. I would love to know if he is still alive. He has probably done this many times.
Eb
John Paul is so guilty of this. I just can’t believe hes escaped punishment for what has happened to Colleen. I believe that he threw her body over board. Which would make it next to impossible to find her. I’m sure John himself couldn’t even tell police exactly where he dropped her body at in the water. What a monster. I Cant believe he’s freely out and about enjoying life.
Lisa Gandolfo
John Paul Sr is a psychopath who premeditated both disappearances, Chalice Paul, former wife and Colleen Wood. I was best friends with Chalice before she went missing and know he coaxed her into believing they were getting back together as they were separated when I met Chalice in Palm Beach. Chalice flew to South Florida from Atlanta to go sailing with him to Key West. She never returned home to Atlanta. John Paul Sr told me himself he “left” Chalice in Key West. She was going for just a week to reunite with him then fly back to Atlanta to be in Burt Reynolds film Sharkies Machine. She never would of missed that opportunity.
Police 42
I believe Colleen booked a cruise with the devil.
natt
Women should really be cautious in this day and time because there are way to many con artists out there operating,I hope her family will find peace from all this.
Bob Brooks
I was dating this Nice lady shortly before she met this guy. She was totally bamboozled!!!!
Tara
So they never caught a break? They never found out where she was? This is sad
Linda
I hope her boys find peace and Colleen can rest knowing how much she is loved by her friends and family. This is so sad.
KarmaCycle
There were so many missteps in this investigation.. After meeting with him, it took to a week to “find out” there was a parol violation, and then they blame the delay on the Feds? Right. Of course the guy is going to take off with the boat that potentially holds physical evidence of a crime, now that they’ve tipped him off. But, no, he’s not a suspect.
Her family was completely screwed over by these bumbling idiots.
gary
Just wow! Florida police are idiots!
joe
Yeah they really are!
Anonymous
There is so much stacked against this guy. He is a lier and hustler. He scams his way through life. That poor lady didn’t see it coming. He lurked her under false pretenses. Convincing enough for her to give up her condo and leave her job. Take a trip on a boat away from family and friends. This guy knew what he was doing. He wanted her money. 40,000 plus the extra 43,000 she gave him to invest in that boat she moved on. Sick man. He used her; lied to her; and throw her away. Even though there Is no physical evidence he killed her. It doesn’t take an expert to put two and two together. This is so unsettling. He planned this whole thing way before he met her. By placing an ad in the paper. That’s his MO. With everything uncovered from this guy. The cops or investigators should have went under cover and answered one of this guys ad’s in the paper and followed up on those leads. He skipped his parole that alone would be enough to arrest him and get this guy off the streets. He is a predator. How many times has he done this and continue to do this.. I feel real bad for her friends and family .I feel bad for anyone he crossed paths with. Karama will not have mercy on this man.
Chad F
I feel they need to track the boat they were on when she went missing and go all over it with Forensics, I would say there may be plenty of evidence on there waiting to be unearthed. I do hope her killer is brought to justice what a true coward. And to think he has he’s own Wikipedia page…. that’s a disgrace in itself foresure, sickening it is. Bring Colleen home.
Bob
Why is it so obvious to everyone, except he legal authorities that John Paul is responsible for Colleen’s disappearance? As a former Trooper of the Pennsylvania State Police, I am well aware that because there is no physical evidence that John Paul had anything to do with her missing, there is plenty of circumstantial. Using the circumstantial evidence that has been accumulated would at the very least get an indictment from a Grand Jury for possible kidnapping and murder charges. The fact that John Paul illegally used Colleen’s debit/credit cards to obtain cash is very suspicious and incriminating.
At this point, why not arrest it, charge him and take him to court. What do they have to lose? He is old now and will soon die. After that, any evidence that may be found can be used to charge him and perhaps get a conviction and have him sentenced under the guilty in absentia law. But, in my opinion, I think there best shot is to go for it now.
Patty
I agree with you. It is a little too obvious that this man is a liar. I hope Coleen is found and closure can be given to the family, one way or another.
ms robinson
ive seen this women last week, she lives close by, i left message for detective
rebareeves
He’s in St croix! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! But nobody has investigated it. His boat is literally docked in the harbor there!!!!! Tried to find info for detective shotwell.
Goldiloxx
He sold his boat in 2011.
LisaGandolfo
Did law enforcement follow up on this lead in St. Croix? If so, did you find out if the boat was currently owned by John Paul Sr?
Chris
He sold his boat in 2011
Deandra
John Paul definitely killed this woman and got away with her body and her money. he will live the rest of his life with no remorse and her family with no mother. I am sadden by this news and that our legal system cant help this family due to a clean missing persons case.
Chalice Paul Missing Person
John Paul Sr. is responsible for probably several murders. He is responsible for Chalice Paul’s disappearance in 1981. Got to http://www.chalicepaul.com to read the whole story.