Sometime in early 2000, Colleen Wood - a divorced mother of two grown kids - decided to give cupid another chance. She met John Paul through a personal ad. Within a few months of their first date, Colleen and John had become inseparable. One evening Colleen shared some of her hopes and dreams: to sail around the world. Colleen was surprised and thrilled when John suggested they make the voyage together - aboard his 55-foot schooner, "Island Girl." Within a few weeks, Colleen had sold her condominium - and entrusted John with investing the net proceeds, $43,000. A short time later, she moved in with him aboard "Island Girl" - then quit her job.

On December 3, 2000, Colleen placed a call to her son in Ohio. She told him "Island Girl" was setting sail in a few weeks - and she would be in touch soon. Maureen Canada, a friend of Colleen's, said she spoke to Colleen about ten days later - on December 13th or 14th - to invite her to the office Christmas party. At the time, Colleen was in Key West at a bar with John Paul. According to Maureen she sounded fine. But Colleen never showed up for the party. Nor did she contact her family over Christmas.

After the New Year, the family began to worry. Her son tried calling Colleen on her cell phone but the account had been closed. Michael immediately contacted the police in Florida - but there was no evidence of any crime. Days turned to weeks, then months. Still, there was no sign of Colleen Wood. Back in Ohio, Colleen's son searched the internet - in hopes of finding an address or phone number for John Paul. Instead he discovered that John Paul had served 15 years in a Federal penitentiary for attempted murder. It turned out Colleen's boyfriend was the mastermind behind a drug-smuggling ring in the early 80s - and tried to kill his partner-in-crime for ratting him out. John Paul was paroled in 1999 and met Colleen less than a year later. His plan to sail around the world was in violation of his parole. Family and friends were certain Colleen knew nothing about John Paul's past.

Colleen's son Michael claims that John Paul told different versions of his breakup with Colleen to different people. John Paul allegedly told version one to his daughter. According to Michael, she said Colleen had become irate over an incident involving one of her father's old girlfriends - and ended the relationship. Michael pleaded with John Paul's daughter to have her father call him. Three days later, he did. And a second version of the story emerged. John Paul told Michael that the two had an argument and she left the boat. Afterward she came back with her boyfriend, gathered her belongings and she left the boat.

In April 2001 - some four months after Colleen was last heard from - detectives were led to some suspicious activity on Colleen's credit cards. Between mid-December and mid-February, cash advancements totaling over $40,000, had occurred on Colleen Wood's cards. Investigators believe that not only did Colleen Wood not make any of the transactions, they were not made with her consent. Also raising suspicion were two ads that appeared in a local newspaper. Both ads were placed in the name of Colleen Wood, using her credit cards and both were ordered by a male. The first ad ran in the "help wanted" section in early December. The person who placed the ad was looking for a first mate on the boat. The second ad, which ran in mid-December was in the personals "male seeking female" section.

Detectives finally tracked John Paul down in May, 2001. It was then, according to detectives, that John offered another version of the breakup with Colleen, in which he said that in mid-December, he and Colleen had a large fight over money that she owed him. Despite the inconsistent stories regarding John and his breakup with Colleen, there is no solid evidence to indicate he had anything to do with her disappearance. He has not been named a suspect in the case. Police believe John Paul has left town, violating the terms of his parole. Detectives would like to bring him in to question him again about Colleen's disappearance.

If you have any information about the whereabouts of Colleen Wood or John Paul, please contact the Ft. Lauderdale Police Department or call the Unsolved Mysteries hotline, 1-800-876-5353.

WANTED FOR QUESTIONING Ft. Lauderdale Police would like to re-interview John L. Paul, Sr. regarding the disappearance of Colleen Wood. Paul is 63 years old and owns a 55' schooner rig sailing yacht called the "Diamond Girl."