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A Gaithersburg man suspected in the disappearance of his traveling companion in Aruba was released from custody Tuesday, even as he remains authorities’ prime suspect in the woman’s presumed death. Gary Giordano, 50, had been detained since early August on suspicions that he was involved in the disappearance of 35-year-old Robyn Gardner, of Frederick. Gardner was last seen on the Caribbean island on Aug. 2.
Giordano was seen leaving the jail with his lawyers at about 8 p.m. local time, the Associated Press reported. It wasn’t known whether he would remain on the island or immediately return to the United States.
Aruban judges approved several requests from prosecutors to keep Giordano in custody, but ordered last week that he be released. Giordano has denied wrongdoing.
A hearing appealing the release order is scheduled for Wednesday, said Taco Stein, the Aruban solicitor general.
“We feel that the grounds that led to the pretrial detention in the first place are still in place and still valid,” Stein said. He said Aruban officials would seek to have Giordano extradited if he had already left Aruba and the appeals court rules that authorities can continue to detain him.
Giordano’s attorneys did not respond to requests for comment.
Stein said the investigation would continue regardless of whether Giordano remains in custody.
“We feel for [Gardner’s family] and we want them to know we are doing everything we can to bring clarity,” he said.
Kelly Reed, Gardner’s cousin, said in a statement that family members were “very disappointed” that they were “no closer to finding out what happened.”
Authorities have conducted numerous searches of areas near where Gardner was last seen. Cadaver dogs were brought in from Holland, and Dutch deep-sea divers have looked for her remains.
“All of those initiatives have not brought us any closer to finding her body,” Stein said. He said investigators are continuing to look at the possibility that she may be alive, but “have no indication of that whatsoever.”
Giordano took out a $1.5-million accidental-death insurance policy on Gardner shortly before their trip, according to Aruban authorities.
