Shivangi Sinha
Moses Lall and his aunt Lila Buerattan operated a prosperous ranch specializing in exotic birds and reptiles in West Palm Beach, Florida. One day, when the bird feed delivery person noticed no activity at the ranch, they became suspicious and decided to investigate further. Upon entering the property, they discovered neglected and unfed birds confined in cages, indicating that the caretakers were absent. The ID episode ‘Disappeared,’ titled ‘Birds of Prey,’ explores whether Lall and Buerattan fled the ranch or if foul play was involved in their disappearance and if they were ever found.
Moses Lall and Lila Buerattan Were Last Seen at Their Ranch in Loxahatchee
Lila Buerattan and Moses Lall immigrated to America from Guyana, South America, during the early 1980s. Recognizing opportunities in entrepreneurship, they ventured into the exotic bird industry, aware of its potential. Initially based in New York, they operated a quarantine station for imported exotic birds. Despite their success, Moses was aspirational for more, while Lila shared his passion for birds and embraced the idea of breeding and owning her own. They owned an old warehouse in Queens, but both of them envisioned a future in Florida.
After saving up, they made the move to Loxahatchee, Florida, in December 1992, where they rented a five-acre ranch. Keeping to themselves, they maintained minimal interaction with the local avian community. Their business expanded as Moses began importing reptiles in addition to birds. Moses primarily managed the business and its finances, while Lila devoted herself to the birds’ care, nurturing them with affection. On June 4, 1994, a delivery man from Bird Haven Feed Company arrived at the ranch to deliver the week’s food supply.
Not finding anyone at the ranch, the delivery man opted to leave the supplies at the gate, returning the next day on June 5. He was taken aback, as usually, Moses and Lila would have almost depleted their stock by this time, yet this time, the delivery remained untouched at the door. Sensing something amiss, he decided to enter the premises by scaling the fence. Inside, he discovered a grim scene: many birds had perished due to starvation, some resorting to cannibalism, while others showed signs of illness. It was evident that the birds had been neglected for quite some time.
Upon learning about the dire state of the birds, the avian community in Florida expressed grave concerns for their well-being. However, surprisingly, there was little inquiry into the whereabouts of Moses and Lila. The authorities, comprising the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Department, Palm Beach County Animal Control, and the Florida Game and Freshwater Fish Commission, found themselves unsure of how to approach the situation. It wasn’t until June 15 that a formal investigation was initiated.
Moses Lall and Lila Buerattan’s Case Remains Unsolved
Upon obtaining a search warrant for the ranch, the police discovered that most of the furniture inside the house was missing. However, there were no indications of a struggle or any signs of foul play that would suggest Moses Lall and Lila Buerattan had been forcibly taken. In their investigation, the police reached out to Jean Lall, Moses’ mother and Lila’s sister. Jean informed them that the last time she had spoken to Moses was on June 3, during which he seemed worried but did not divulge many details. She also mentioned that subsequent attempts to reach them by phone went unanswered, with the calls simply ringing out.
They also discovered that two other workers from the ranch were missing. The first was Roland Eyoum, a reptile dealer whom Moses had met in Africa and brought to the ranch in 1992. The second was Daljeet Hari Gobin, another worker from Guyana who had been employed on the ranch since the same time as Eyoum. Jean informed the police that Hari had harbored romantic feelings for Lila in the past, but she did not share the same sentiments. He had also gotten into altercations with Hari after he was caught stealing some money from the ranch.
On June 18, the police managed to apprehend Eyoum in New York City. During questioning, he claimed to have stopped working at the ranch a few weeks before Moses and Lila disappeared. However, he mentioned receiving a phone call from Hari around June 4 or 5, in which Hari purportedly informed him that he had witnessed armed individuals forcibly taking Moses and Lila away. According to Eyoum, Hari fled upon witnessing the incident. Hari had suggested that gang members from whom Moses had taken some loan, and who would be seeking control over the valuable birds might have been responsible for the abduction.
The police attempted to trace Moses’ license number to determine if he had been spotted anywhere after his reported disappearance. They discovered that a man had been pulled over by police in Georgia for traffic violations, and he had presented Moses’ driver’s license. The man was taken to the police station, but before he could be formally identified, he requested to be released as he claimed he needed to tend to birds in his car. He managed to post bail and evade further questioning. However, investigators looking into Moses’ and Lila’s disappearance were able to identify this man as Hari.
In 2011, Hari was sighted in New York, residing under an alias, but he managed to evade capture before authorities could apprehend him. Since then, no significant new leads have emerged in the disappearance case. However, the police continue to consider Hari a person of interest and seek to question him. While he may not be a suspect, authorities believe he possesses information regarding the whereabouts of Moses and Lila. As of now, the case remains unsolved.
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