Aruban Authorities Launch New Search for Robyn Gardner Remains
Authorities in Aruba have launched a new search on Monday for missing woman Robyn Gardner, according to AP.
Their goal is to recover her remains, or find evidence against her travel companion and only suspect in her disappearance, Gary Giordano.
Search teams were dispatched to the northeast part of Aruba. The previous efforts to find Gardner focused on the south of the island due to Giordano’s claim of Robyn Gardner’s disappearance while snorkeling in that area.
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A witness had come forward recently with a story that could unravel Giordano’s claims, according to a report from NBC news. A nearby fisherman has said that Gardner and Giordano never got into the water and were seen leaving a beach together.
Aruban authorities have not stated whether they will search other parts of the island or not, but they are hunting for evidence to see if a case can be built against Giordano.
Police reported that Giordano told investigators that he and Gardner were drinking together and that she had a bottle of pills with her. He was taken into custody in Aruba under suspicion of involvement in her presumed death. Giordano has yet to be charged and has denied the crime thus far.
ABC reported last week that Giordano tried to redeem an insurance policy on Gardner that could be worth up to $1.5 million.
He attempted to collect on the policy only two days after Gardner went missing, according to the AP.
Police have investigated the accidental death insurance policy for Gardner. It reportedly named Giordano as the beneficiary and was deemed suspicious since it was only for a weeklong trip, and also since Gardner had a boyfriend she lived with in Maryland.
“We knew from Mr. Giordano himself that travel insurance was taken out and that’s what we are investigating,” said Aruban Solicitor General, Taco Stein last week. “It was subpoenaed and we are investigating that material to see if it bears relevance to the investigation.”
Gardner’s boyfriend, Robert Forester commented on the policy.
“To be honest, I was saddened to hear it,” he said. I can’t believe that Robyn would ever sign something like that voluntarily. Maybe if she was forced to, maybe if she was misinformed to what it was.”
The policy could have been a motive for Giordano to murder Gardner and report it as a disappearance, according to former FBI special agent, Brad Garrett.
“Was this premeditated? Had he planned all along to lure her to Aruba and kill her for the insurance money,” said Garrett to ABC News. “It has that flavor to it, but we’ll have to see how evidence bears out.”
