Lilawattie Buerattan

Case Details

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This person was missing Missing Since 06/05/1994

Missing Since:
Missing Since 06/05/1994
Missing From:
Missing From Loxahatchee, Florida
Classification:
Classification Endangered Missing
Gender:
Female
Race:
Race Asian
Date of Birth:
Date of Birth 03/23/1958 (66)
Age:
Age 36 years old
Height and Weight:
Height and Weight 5’5, 115 pounds
Clothing/Jewelry Description:
Distinguishing Characteristics:
Distinguishing Characteristics Asian female. Black hair, brown eyes. Buerattan’s ears are pierced. Her nickname is Lila. Some agencies may spell her last name “Bueratian.”
Details of Disappearance:
In 1994, Buerattan and her nephew, Bhagwaniala Lall, ran a bird ranch in Florida. They bred exotic birds, having switched from importing them after US laws changed. They were very private.

On June 5th, a feed delivery was left uncollected. This was strange, as they didn’t keep extra food. Police weren’t called to investigate the ranch until June 16th, due to a delay.

When they finally checked, they found hundreds of dead birds and Buerattan, Lall, and their two employees, Gobin and Eyoum, were gone. The birds were worth around $700,000. It looked like someone had interrupted them.

Eyoum later said that Gobin claimed to have seen two men force Lall and Buerattan into a van at gunpoint, taking some birds with them. Gobin was caught, but he pretended to be Lall and then escaped. He’s a suspect, but his involvement isn’t confirmed. Police want to talk to him (a photo is available).

The surviving birds were auctioned off. Lall and Buerattan’s family believes they were kidnapped, as they wouldn’t have left the birds. A video on how to change one’s identity was found in Lall’s van, adding to the mystery. The case remains unsolved.

Agency:
Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Department 561-688-3000
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