Gaithersburg man to be released from custody in Aruba

Giordano has been detained since early August on suspicions that he was involved in the disappearance of his vacation partner, 35-year-old Robyn Gardner, of Frederick. Gardner was last seen on the Caribbean island on Aug. 2, and her body has not been found.

Aruban judges approved several requests from prosecutors to keep Giordano in custody, but ordered last week that he be released. Giordano has not been charged with a crime and his attorneys have maintained that he had nothing to do with Garder’s disappearance. Giordano has claimed Gardner went missing at sea while the two were snorkeling.

A hearing appealing the release order is scheduled for Wednesday, Stein said. He acknowledged that Giordano could already be back in the United States or en route by the time of the hearing.

“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 authorities can continue to detain him.

Giordano’s attorneys could not be reached Tuesday morning.

Stein said the investigation into Gardner’s disappearance 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.

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 also 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.”

Stein said forensic units are also examining Giordano’s laptop and BlackBerry and Gardner’s iPad for any clues about her disappearance.