Aruba Judge Keeps Gary Giordano in Jail 60 More Days in Robyn Gardner Case
ARUBA Aug. 31, 2011 — -- A judge in Aruba ordered Gary Giordano, the lone suspect in the disappearance of Maryland woman Robyn Gardner, to remain in jail for another 60 days while police press their investigation.
Gardner has been missing since Aug. 2. She was last seen at a restaurant with Giordano, the prime suspect in her disappearance. He is in an Aruban jail, but has not been charged with a crime.
Gardner's mother, Andrea Colson issued a statement after the judge's ruling saying, "We have faith and confidence in the Aruban Authorities and FBI, and know that they will fervently continue their efforts to find Robyn."
"This has been such a difficult time for all of us and your prayers have given us strength. We need to find our daughter. We pray that anyone who knows what happened that day will find the strength to contact authorities immediately. And we continue to ask everyone to keep praying for our Robyn so that she will be found soon," the statement said.
The Aruba prosecutor's office issued a statement urging "people who can give any information about the suspect... to contact the Aruban Police in person or via the special tip line 11141. Persons who want to volunteer information from outside of Aruba are asked to make use of the number 297-582-0695."
Earlier today, ABC News reported that Giordano and Gardner met online on the web site "Adult Friend Finder," which describes itself as "the world's largest sex and swinger personals community," Gardner's friend told Aruban investigators.
ABC News reviewed witness statements given to Aruban investigators by Gardner's family and friends. A female friend of Gardner told investigators that Giordano, 50, and Gardner, 35, had previously planned a vacation together but Gardner backed out because of Giordano's "scary behavior."
Gardner's best friend and roommate told ABC News last month that Gary Giordano sent aggressive, angry texts to the missing Maryland woman when she backed out of the cruise.
"He was texting her while we were at breakfast, very angry at her because she decided she wasn't going to go on the cruise," Jones said on Aug. 11. "And his responses by text, which I don't feel comfortable repeating, were aggressive, harmful, something that doesn't sit right within myself."
Family Member Calls Gardner 'Sneaky Drinker'
Since Gardner disappeared, Giordano moved to redeem a reportedly $1.5 million insurance policy on Gardner. Witnesses and an Aruban Police report described him as uncooperative with investigators and eerily calm about Gardner's disappearance.
The witness statements also reveal more about Gardner. A friend and family member told police she was a "sneaky drinker," according to the witness statement.
Police also found Ambien, the sleep medication, prescribed to Gardner in the Marriott Hotel room where she was staying with Giordano. Giordano told police that he saw Gardner take a sleeping pill the day he claims they went snorkeling and she never returned.
Witnesses who saw Gardner the day she vanished described her as drunk and woozy.
The family member who told police she drank heavily said she was close to confronting Gardner about her allegedly excessive drinking.
